The Government of India has launched SARAL SIMS, a simplified version of the Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS), designed to reduce compliance burden for MSMEs, small importers and exporters dealing with limited-volume steel consignments. The initiative aims to streamline import procedures, improve transparency, and support industries that depend on small quantities of steel for manufacturing and value-added processing.
Under the new mechanism, importers can use SARAL SIMS for consignments of up to 10 metric tonnes (MT) each, with the facility available up to a total of 1000 MT per financial year. For FY 2025–26, the government has fixed a reduced annual threshold of 500 MT, which will remain in effect until April 2026, after which the original 1000 MT cap will apply.
SARAL SIMS will also be available without any quantity restrictions for steel imports made under Advance Authorisation, SEZ, and Export Oriented Unit (EOU) routes. This ensures that export-linked and SEZ-based manufacturers can access raw materials smoothly while complying with trade monitoring requirements.
To maintain data accuracy, importers registered under SARAL SIMS must submit an annual return by April 30 each year, reporting the actual volumes imported against their SARAL SIMS registrations. Registrations issued in one financial year will remain valid for import clearance until April 30 of the following year, giving importers additional time to complete shipments and documentation.
The scheme also includes a compliance safeguard:
If an importer crosses the 1000 MT annual threshold prescribed for SARAL SIMS, they must shift to the regular SIMS registration system for all future imports in that financial year. SARAL SIMS access will then be disabled for the remainder of that period.
With SARAL SIMS, the government expects significant procedural relief for MSMEs and smaller steel-dependent units, while retaining adequate visibility into import flows to support policy planning and domestic industry protection.
