Heading · Chapter 96 · Section XX, Miscellaneous manufactured articles
HS 9608Ball point pens; felt tipped and other poroustipped pens and markers; fountain pens; stylograph pens and other pens; duplicating stylos; propelling or sliding pencils; pen holders, pencil holders and similar holders; parts (including caps and clips) of the foregoing articles, other than those of heading 9609
Miscellaneous manufactured articles
- Customs duty
- 10%
- 27 tariff items
- GST now
- 0% or 18%
- depending on the goods
- Import policy
- Free
- Export policy
- Free
- Unit
- kg or units
- Duty in China
- 5.2% to 12%
- On Indian goods
Search codesRates as on 19 Oct 2026
Codes under this heading
8 codes. Duty and GST are set on the 8-digit tariff items; open the one that describes your goods.
| Code | Description | Customs duty | GST now | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9608 10 | Ball point pens | 10% | 0% or 18% | units |
| 9608 20 00 | Felt tipped and other porous-tipped pens and markers | 10% | 0% or 18% | units |
| 9608 30 | Fountain pens, stylograph pens and other pens | 10% | 0% or 18% | units |
| 9608 40 00 | Propelling or sliding pencils | 10% | 0% or 18% | units |
| 9608 50 00 | Sets of articles from two or more of the foregoing sub-headings | 10% | 0% or 18% | units |
| 9608 60 | Refills for ball point pens, comprising the ball point and ink-reservoir | 10% | 0% or 18% | units |
| 9608 91 | Pen nibs and nib points | 10% | 0% or 18% | units |
| 9608 99 | Other | 10% | 0% or 18% | kg |
Importing into India
Duty is set on each 8-digit tariff item: open one of the codes above. Basic customs duty across its 27 tariff items: 10%. 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: 27 tariff items
GST
IGST on imports is the GST rate. Rates changed on 22 September 2025.
- Now 0% or 18%, depending on the goods.
- Until 21 September 2025 12% or 18%, depending on the goods.
- Change: Changed.
The rules that set it now
| Notification | Goods | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 10/2025-Integrated Tax (Rate)Schedule Exempt, S.No. 163 | Pencils (including propelling or sliding pencils), crayons, pastels, drawing charcoals, writing or drawing chalks and tailor's chalk; Slate pencils and chalk sticks | Nil |
| 9/2025-Integrated Tax (Rate)Schedule II, S.No. 626 | Ball point pens; felt tipped and other porous-tipped pens and markers; fountain pens; stylograph pens and other pens; duplicating stylos; pen holders, pencil holders and similar holders; parts (including caps and clips) of the foregoing articles, other than those of heading 9609 | 18% |
History
| Period | Rate | Notification |
|---|---|---|
| Until 21 Sep 2025 | 12% or 18% | 1/2017-Central Tax (Rate) |
| From 22 Sep 2025 | 0% or 18% | 10/2025-Integrated Tax (Rate); 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)
| Drawback item | Goods | Rate | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9608 | Ball point pens; felt tipped and other porous-tipped pens and markers; fountain pens; stylograph pens and other pens; duplicating stylos; propelling or sliding pencils; pen holders, pencil holders and similar holders; parts (including caps and clips) of the foregoing articles, other than those of heading 9609 | — | — |
| 960801 | Ball point pens | 4.2% | Rs. 269 per 1000 Pcs |
| 960802 | Felt tipped and other porous tipped pens and markers | 4.4% | Rs. 633 per 1000 Pcs |
| 960803 | Fountain pens; stylograph pens and other pens | 4.2% | Rs. 269 per 1000 Pcs |
| 960804 | Propelling or sliding pencils | 2.2% | Rs. 260 per 1000 Pcs |
| 960899 | Others including parts | 1.4% | — |
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: 27 tariff items
China: the same goods (9608)
China shares the first 6 digits with India and splits them into 10-digit codes of its own: 12 in force and 3 expired under 9608. Exporters see what China charges Indian goods; importers see the rebate and licences their Chinese supplier deals with.
| China code | Goods | Duty on Indian goods | MFN | Import VAT | Export rebate | Licences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9608.10.00.00 | Ball point pens圆珠笔 | 5.2%APTA rate, with an APTA certificate of origin | 8% | 13% | 13% | None |
| 9608.20.00.00 | Felt tipped and other porous-tipped pens and markers毡尖和其他渗水式笔尖笔及唛头笔 | 12%MFN rate (no APTA concession on this line) | 12% | 13% | 13% | None |
| 9608.30.10.00 | Ink brushes墨汁画笔 | 12%MFN rate (no APTA concession on this line) | 12% | 13% | 13% | None |
| 9608.30.20.00 | Fountain pens自来水笔 | 12%MFN rate (no APTA concession on this line) | 12% | 13% | 13% | None |
| 9608.30.90.00 | Other fountain pens其他钢笔 | 12%MFN rate (no APTA concession on this line) | 12% | 13% | 13% | None |
| 9608.40.00.00 | Propelling pencils活动铅笔 | 12%MFN rate (no APTA concession on this line) | 12% | 13% | 13% | None |
| 9608.50.00.00 | Sets of articles containing two or more pens含有两种笔及以上的成套货品 | 12%MFN rate (no APTA concession on this line) | 12% | 13% | 13% | None |
| 9608.60.00.00 | Ball point pen refills圆珠笔芯 | 12%MFN rate (no APTA concession on this line) | 12% | 13% | 13% | None |
| 9608.91.00.00 | Pen nibs and nib-points钢笔头及笔尖粒 | 8%MFN rate (no APTA concession on this line) | 8% | 13% | 13% | None |
| 9608.99.10.00 | Pens for machines or instruments机器、仪器用笔 | 8%MFN rate (no APTA concession on this line) | 8% | 13% | 13% | None |
| 9608.99.20.00 | Stylus for wax stencils, pen-holders, pencil-holders and the like蜡纸铁笔,钢笔杆,铅笔杆等 | 12%MFN rate (no APTA concession on this line) | 12% | 13% | 13% | None |
| 9608.99.90.00 | Other parts of pens其他笔零件 | 10%MFN rate (no APTA concession on this line) | 10% | 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.
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
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.