Cleve’s acid (1-naphthylamine-6-sulphonic acid)

Cleve's acid, naphthylamine sulphonic acid derivatives

CIB&RC CLEARANCE · NDPS CLEARANCE

HSN 2921 45 22 (Cleve's acid) is subject to Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee (CIB&RC) registration and import permit under the Insecticides Act, 1968 and Insecticides Rules, 1971, where the substance figures in the Schedule to that Act. Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) conditions under Chapter VII-A of the NDPS Rules, 1985 and Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) schedule controls administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) apply as additional clearance requirements, alongside mandatory Chapter 29 qualifiers per Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) Circular 23/2023-Cus.

What this is

HSN code

2921 45 22

Chapter

29 · Organic chemicals

Primary regulator

CIB&RC · Insecticides Act, 1968 and Insecticides Rules, 1971

Customs documentation

Registration and import permit from CIB&RC
Import certificate from NDPS
Chapter 29 qualifiers from CBIC

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

CIB&RCCIB&RC·Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee

NDPSNDPS·Narcotics Control Bureau

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.

Compliance steps

1
If the substance falls within the Schedule to the Insecticides Act, 1968, obtain registration and an import permit from the Secretariat of CIB&RC before shipment. Import is permitted only at the restricted places listed under Rule 45 of the Insecticides Rules, 1971; consignments arriving at unlisted points are liable to detention and seizure.
Insecticides Act, 1968 · Rule 45 of the Insecticides Rules, 1971
2
Where the substance qualifies as an NDPS substance, obtain an import certificate under Rule 53 of the NDPS Rules, 1985 for medical or scientific purposes as per Chapter VII-A of those Rules. Imports outside the medical and scientific category are governed by Appendix I to the ITC (HS) Schedule per ITC (HS) policy condition 2 of Chapter 29.
Rule 53 of the NDPS Rules, 1985 · ITC (HS) policy condition 2 to Chapter 29
3
Ensure mandatory additional qualifiers are declared in the import declaration for Chapter 29 commodities in compliance with CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus dated 30-09-2023, paragraphs 4.1 and 4.2, with effect from 15 October 2023. Additionally, where import of specified hazardous substances exceeds specified quantities, take out a public liability insurance policy under the Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991 per S.O. 227(E) dated 24-03-1992.
CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus dated 30-09-2023 · S.O. 227(E) dated 24-03-1992

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is treating the CIB&RC registration as the sole compliance gate and overlooking the parallel NDPS and CWC overlay conditions, which are triggered by the chemical identity of the specific substance being imported — not by a single overarching licence. A consignment that clears the CIB&RC permit but lacks the NDPS import certificate or the CWC national-authority permission where required will be detained at the designated port, with demurrage and potential confiscation exposure under the NDPS Act and the CWC Act.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 2921 45 22 require BIS certification?

No, no BIS Quality Control Order covers this product family. Import of Cleve's acid and related naphthylamine sulphonic acid derivatives is governed by CIB&RC registration and permit under the Insecticides Act, 1968, with NDPS and CWC schedule overlays administered under the ITC (HS) policy conditions for Chapter 29.

Are the Chapter 29 mandatory qualifiers in the import declaration required for every shipment of this CTI?

Yes. CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus dated 30-09-2023 mandates additional qualifiers in import declarations for all commodities under Chapter 29 with effect from 15 October 2023; non-compliance at the bill-of-entry stage results in examination and possible detention pending correction.

Does the CWC schedule restriction on nitrogen mustards and related compounds apply to Cleve's acid specifically?

The CWC schedule controls under Appendix II to Schedule I (Categories IA and IB) of the ITC (HS) policy apply to nitrogen mustards and specified chlorinated aminoethyl compounds in this CTI group; whether Cleve's acid itself is caught depends on the precise substance being imported, and the national authority permission must be obtained where the chemical identity falls within those categories.

Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: CIB&RC / NDPS / DGFT / CBIC / Indian Customs CUSDATA.