Subheading · Chapter 90 · Section XVIII, Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precisi…

HS 9015 80Surveying (including photogrammetrical surveying), hydrographic, oceanographic, hydrological, meteorological or geophysical instruments and appliances, excluding compasses; rangefinders: other instruments and appliances

Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof

Customs duty: 7.5%; 4 tariff items
GST now: 18%; or 5% for some goods
Import policy: Free
Export policy: Free
Unit: units
Duty in China: 0%; On Indian goods

Search codes Duty abroadRates as on 19 Oct 2026

Codes under this subheading

4 codes. Duty and GST are set on the 8-digit tariff items; open the one that describes your goods.

Codes under this code
Code	Description	Customs duty	GST now	Unit
9015 80 10	Hydrographic instruments	7.5%	18%	units
9015 80 20	Meteorological instruments	7.5%	18%	units
9015 80 30	Geophysical instruments	7.5%	18%	units
9015 80 90	Other	7.5%	18%	units

Importing into India

Duty is set on each 8-digit tariff item: open one of the codes above. Basic customs duty across its 4 tariff items: 7.5%. The rules below cover this whole code.

Anti-dumping, countervailing and safeguard duty

None in force on this code as on 19 Oct 2026.

Import policy (DGFT ITC(HS)) of its tariff items

Free: 4 tariff items

GST

IGST on imports is the GST rate. Rates changed on 22 September 2025.

Now 18%, or 5% for some goods.
Until 21 September 2025 18%, or 5% or 12% for some goods.
Change: Unchanged.

The rules that set it now

GST rate rules in force
Notification	Goods	Rate
9/2025-Integrated Tax (Rate)Schedule II, S.No. 568	Surveying (including photogrammetrical surveying), hydrographic, oceanographic, hydrological, meteorological or geophysical instruments and appliances, excluding compasses; rangefinders	18%
9/2025-Integrated Tax (Rate)Schedule I, S.No. 473	Coronary stents and coronary stent systems for use with cardiac catheters	5%
9/2025-Integrated Tax (Rate)Schedule I, S.No. 474	Artificial kidney	5%
9/2025-Integrated Tax (Rate)Schedule I, S.No. 475	Blood glucose monitoring system (Glucometer) and test strips	5%
9/2025-Integrated Tax (Rate)Schedule I, S.No. 476	Patent Ductus Arteriosus / Atrial Se ptal Defect occlusion device	5%
9/2025-Integrated Tax (Rate)Schedule I, S.No. 477	Parts of the following goods, namely: - (i) Crutches; (ii) Wheel chairs; (iii)Walking frames; (iv)Tricycles; (v)Braillers; and (vi) Artificial limbs	5%
9/2025-Integrated Tax (Rate)Schedule I, S.No. 478	Assistive devices, rehabilitation aids and other goods for disabled, specified in List 1 appended to this Schedule	5%
9/2025-Integrated Tax (Rate)Schedule I, S.No. 479	Disposable sterilized dialyzer or micro barrier of artificial kidney	5%

History

GST rate history
Period	Rate	Notification
Until 21 Sep 2025	5%, 12% or 18%	1/2017-Central Tax (Rate)
From 22 Sep 2025	5% or 18%	9/2025-Integrated Tax (Rate)

Exporting from India

Export duty

Nil. The Second Schedule to the Customs Tariff Act does not list these goods, so no export duty is charged.

Duty drawback (All Industry Rates)

All Industry Rates of duty drawback under this heading
Drawback item	Goods	Rate	Cap
9015	Surveying (including photo- grammetrical surveying), hydrographic, oceanographic, hydrological, meterological or geo- physcial instruments and appliances, excluding com-passes; rangefinders	1.2%	—

Drawback items follow the 4-digit heading, not the 8-digit code: claim the one that describes your goods. Rates of notification 77/2023-Customs (N.T.) as amended, in force on 19 Oct 2026.

Export policy (DGFT ITC(HS) Schedule 2) of its tariff items

Free: 4 tariff items

What buyers pay abroad: import duty in the US, UK, EU and Australia for 9015 80, and China's below.

China: the same goods (9015 80)

China shares the first 6 digits with India and splits them into 10-digit codes of its own: 2 in force and 2 expired under 9015 80. Exporters see what China charges Indian goods; importers see the rebate and licences their Chinese supplier deals with.

China's tariff for these goods
China code	Goods	Duty on Indian goods	MFN	Import VAT	Export rebate	Licences
9015.80.00.30	Airborne or shipborne gravimeters; airborne or shipborne gravity gradiometers机载或舰载重力仪；机载或舰载重力梯度仪	0%APTA rate, with an APTA certificate of origin	0%	13%	13%	None
9015.80.00.90	Other measuring instruments and apparatus其他测量仪器及装置	0%APTA rate, with an APTA certificate of origin	0%	13%	13%	None

India is a member of the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA). With an APTA certificate of origin, Indian goods pay China's APTA rate where the line has one; China applies the lower of that and its provisional rate.
The export VAT rebate is what China refunds its own exporters. When China cuts it, Chinese export prices tend to rise.

Every Chinese code in full

9015.80.00Other instruments and apparatus for surveying, hydrographic, oceanographic, meteorological or geophysical uses

9015.80.00.30Airborne or shipborne gravimeters; airborne or shipborne gravity gradiometers机载或舰载重力仪；机载或舰载重力梯度仪

with an accuracy of 1 milligal or better and a steady-state recording time of not more than 2 minutes精度为1毫伽或更好、稳态记录时间至多为2分钟的

Unit: unit / kg
MFN import duty: 0%
Provisional import duty: None
General import duty: 14%
Import VAT: 13%
Consumption tax: 0%
Export duty: 0%
Provisional export duty: None
Export VAT rebate: 13%
Updated by China: 27 Sep 2026

Licences and certificates

None.

Inspection and quarantine

None.

What the customs declaration must state

0.Brand type品牌类型
1.Export preferential status出口享惠情况
2.Use用途
3.Principle原理
4.Brand (Chinese or foreign names)品牌(中文或外文名称)
5.Model型号
6.GTIN
7.CAS
8.Other其他

China's agreement rates

ASEAN: 0%
Chile: 0%
Pakistan: 0%
New Zealand: 0%
Peru: 0%
Costa Rica: 0%
Iceland: 0%
Australia: 0%
South Korea: 0%
Georgia: 0%
Mauritius: 0%
Maldives: 0%
Cambodia: 0%
Nicaragua: 0%
Ecuador: 0%
Serbia: 0%
Hong Kong: 0%
Macao: 0%
Asia-Pacific (APTA): 0%

RCEP rates

Australia: 0%
Brunei: 0%
Cambodia: 0%
South Korea: 2.5%
Laos: 0%
Malaysia: 0%
New Zealand: 0%
Singapore: 0%
Thailand: 0%
Vietnam: 0%
Japan: 2.7%
Indonesia: 0%
Philippines: 0%
Myanmar: 0%

CIQ codes

9015800030999Gravity meters, airborne or shipborne; gravity gradiometers, airborne or shipborne (with an accuracy of 1 mgal or better, and a steady-state recording time of up to 2 minutes)机载或舰载重力仪;机载或舰载重力梯度仪(精度为1毫伽或更好、稳态记录时间至多为2分钟的)

9015.80.00.90Other measuring instruments and apparatus其他测量仪器及装置

Unit: unit / kg
MFN import duty: 0%
Provisional import duty: None
General import duty: 14%
Import VAT: 13%
Consumption tax: 0%
Export duty: 0%
Provisional export duty: None
Export VAT rebate: 13%
Updated by China: 23 Aug 2026

Licences and certificates

None.

Inspection and quarantine

None.

What the customs declaration must state

0.Brand type品牌类型
1.Export preferential status出口享惠情况
2.Use用途
3.Principle原理
4.Brand (Chinese or foreign names)品牌(中文或外文名称)
5.Model型号
6.GTIN
7.CAS
8.Other其他

China's agreement rates

ASEAN: 0%
Chile: 0%
Pakistan: 0%
New Zealand: 0%
Peru: 0%
Costa Rica: 0%
Iceland: 0%
Australia: 0%
South Korea: 0%
Georgia: 0%
Mauritius: 0%
Maldives: 0%
Cambodia: 0%
Nicaragua: 0%
Ecuador: 0%
Serbia: 0%
Hong Kong: 0%
Macao: 0%
Asia-Pacific (APTA): 0%

RCEP rates

Australia: 0%
Brunei: 0%
Cambodia: 0%
South Korea: 2.5%
Laos: 0%
Malaysia: 0%
New Zealand: 0%
Singapore: 0%
Thailand: 0%
Vietnam: 0%
Japan: 2.7%
Indonesia: 0%
Philippines: 0%
Myanmar: 0%

CIQ codes

9015800090101Other measuring instruments & apparatus (electronic)其他测量仪器及装置(电子)
9015800090102Other measuring instruments & apparatus (mechanical)其他测量仪器及装置(机械)

9015.80.00.10Airborne or shipborne gravimeters机载或舰载重力仪Expired

with an accuracy of 1 milligal or better and a steady-state recording time of not more than 2 minutes精度为1毫伽或更好、稳态记录时间至多为2分钟的

Unit: unit / kg
MFN import duty: 0%
Provisional import duty: None
General import duty: 14%
Import VAT: 13%
Consumption tax: None
Export duty: 0%
Provisional export duty: None
Export VAT rebate: 13%
Updated by China: 1 Jan 2025

Licences and certificates

3Dual-use items and technologies export licence两用物项和技术出口许可证

Inspection and quarantine

None.

What the customs declaration must state

0.Brand type品牌类型
1.Export preferential status出口享惠情况
2.Use用途
3.Principle原理
4.Brand (Chinese or foreign names)品牌(中文或外文名称)
5.Model型号
6.GTIN
7.CAS
8.Other其他

China's agreement rates

ASEAN: 0%
Chile: 0%
Pakistan: 0%
New Zealand: 0%
Peru: 0%
Costa Rica: 0%
Iceland: 0%
Australia: 0%
South Korea: 1%
Georgia: 0%
Mauritius: 0%

RCEP rates

Australia: 0%
Brunei: 0%
Cambodia: 0%
Laos: 0%
Malaysia: 0%
New Zealand: 0%
Singapore: 0%
Thailand: 0%
Vietnam: 0%
Japan: 4.5%

CIQ codes

9015800010999Airborne or marine gravimeters (of an accuracy of 1 milligal or better, and having a steady-state (static) recording time of two minutes or less)机载或舰载重力仪(精度为1毫伽或更好、稳态记录时间至多为2分钟的)

9015.80.00.20Airborne or shipborne gravity gradiometers机载或舰载重力梯度仪Expired

with an accuracy of 1 milligal or better and a steady-state recording time of not more than 2 minutes精度为1毫伽或更好、稳态记录时间至多为2分钟的

Unit: unit / kg
MFN import duty: 0%
Provisional import duty: None
General import duty: 14%
Import VAT: 13%
Consumption tax: None
Export duty: 0%
Provisional export duty: None
Export VAT rebate: 13%
Updated by China: 1 Jan 2025

Licences and certificates

3Dual-use items and technologies export licence两用物项和技术出口许可证

Inspection and quarantine

None.

What the customs declaration must state

0.Brand type品牌类型
1.Export preferential status出口享惠情况
2.Use用途
3.Principle原理
4.Brand (Chinese or foreign names)品牌(中文或外文名称)
5.Model型号
6.GTIN
7.CAS
8.Other其他

China's agreement rates

ASEAN: 0%
Chile: 0%
Pakistan: 0%
New Zealand: 0%
Peru: 0%
Costa Rica: 0%
Iceland: 0%
Australia: 0%
South Korea: 1%
Georgia: 0%
Mauritius: 0%

RCEP rates

Australia: 0%
Brunei: 0%
Cambodia: 0%
Laos: 0%
Malaysia: 0%
New Zealand: 0%
Singapore: 0%
Thailand: 0%
Vietnam: 0%
Japan: 4.5%

CIQ codes

9015800020999Airborne or marine gravity gradiometers (with an accuracy of 1 milligal or better and a steady-state recording time of up to 2 minutes)机载或舰载重力梯度仪(精度为1毫伽或更好、稳态记录时间至多为2分钟的)

China's tariff as compiled by HS编码网 from China Customs, the State Council Tariff Commission and the State Taxation Administration. The Chinese is the original.

Nearby codes

Previous9015 30Levels One level up9015Surveying (including photogrammetrical surveying), hydrographic, oceanographic, hydrological, meteorological or geophysical instruments and appliances, excluding compasses; rangefinders Next9016 00Balances of a sensitivity of 5cg or better, with or without weights

Sources

GSTN HSN code masterChecked 13 Oct 2026
DGFT ITC(HS) import and export policyChecked 9 Oct 2026
GST rate per HSN (archived GSTZen extract)Checked 29 Sep 2026
Customs Tariff of India (First Schedule): sections, chapters, notes and statutory BCDChecked 19 Oct 2026
GST rates on goods, before and after 22 September 2025Checked 18 Oct 2026
BIS compulsory certification: products and Quality Control OrdersChecked 18 Oct 2026
Anti-dumping, countervailing and safeguard duties in force (India)Checked 19 Oct 2026
India's export duty (Second Schedule to the Customs Tariff Act and notifications 27/2011, 55/2022, 22/2024)Checked 18 Oct 2026
India's All Industry Rates of duty drawback (notification 77/2023-Customs (N.T.))Checked 19 Oct 2026
China customs tariff (HS编码网)Checked 19 Oct 2026

For information, not a customs ruling. Only notifications published in the Gazette have legal force; confirm the duty with your customs broker or ICEGATE before you price a deal.