HS Code for Wi-Fi Router in India: Classification, MTCTE and WPC

Wi-Fi routers look like a low-risk product: small, cheap, high volume. But they are telecom equipment, and in India that means a separate set of rules from the usual BIS story. The HS code is only half the job.

Importers often ask me why their router consignment needed extra paperwork when a laptop didn't. The answer is TEC and WPC, which I'll come to.

The usual HS code: 8517 62 90

A router's job is to receive data, route it between devices and pass it on. That's the wording of 8517 62 almost word for word. In practice, home and office Wi-Fi routers, mesh systems and access points are usually entered under 8517 62 90.

Why not 8471 or 8517 79?

Two mix-ups come up. Some suppliers treat a router as a computer peripheral and use 8471 codes. A router isn't a unit of a computer; it's networking equipment in its own right, so 8517 is the right heading.

The second is declaring complete routers as parts (8517 79) when the unit arrives without its power adapter or antennas. A router missing its adapter is still a router. Genuine parts, like bare boards for local assembly, are a different matter and have been argued in Indian courts.

What decides the final classification

• Function: routing and switching (8517 62) vs a plain modem or ONT that mainly converts signals (check, it may sit on a different line).
• 4G/5G routers with a SIM slot still usually go under 8517 62, but they bring extra telecom checks.
• Set-top boxes that also give internet access have their own tariff lines.
• Power adapters shipped separately go under 8504 40, not with the router.

How import duty is worked out

Duty is calculated on the assessable value (CIF in rupees): Basic Customs Duty, then the Social Welfare Surcharge where it applies, then IGST on the total. Some networking items get concessional treatment under India's IT tariff commitments, but telecom duties have moved several times under the phased manufacturing policy. Check the current rate for your tariff item on the day you file.

Run your exact router through a lookup, or use the import duty calculator.

Compliance checklist for Wi-Fi routers

🔴 Mandatory · 🟠 Check · 🟢 Not required

Mistakes that cost importers money

• Assuming BIS is the only certificate, and then discovering TEC at the port.
• Using the supplier's global TEC or CE report instead of an Indian certificate for the exact model.
• Changing firmware or hardware after certification and assuming the old certificate still covers it.
• Importing a separate adapter without its own BIS registration.

My advice

Routers reward planning. Build the TEC and WPC timeline into your order schedule, because testing takes longer than shipping. If your model is a 4G/5G router, a mesh kit or an ONT, check the exact variant before you assume the standard code.