Greens

Reactive dyes and preparations, greens

CBIC CLEARANCE

HSN 3204 16 60 (Greens, reactive dyes) is subject to mandatory additional qualifier declarations in import documentation under Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) Circular 23/2023-Cus dated 30 September 2023, operative for all Chapter 32 commodities with effect from 15 October 2023. Importers must furnish the chemical and technical qualifiers prescribed in Paragraphs 4.1 and 4.2 of that Circular at the bill-of-entry stage.

What this is

HSN code

3204 16 60

Chapter

32 · Tanning or dyeing extracts; tannins and their derivatives; dyes, pigments, paints and varnishes

Primary regulator

CBIC · Circular 23/2023-Cus, mandatory Chapter 32 qualifier declarations

Customs documentation

Chapter 32 qualifiers from CBIC
Import declaration to CBIC

Compliance steps

1
At the bill-of-entry stage, furnish all mandatory additional qualifiers for Chapter 32 commodities as prescribed in Paragraphs 4.1 and 4.2 of CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus. Declarations filed without the stipulated qualifiers are non-compliant with effect from 15 October 2023.
CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus dated 30-09-2023, Paragraphs 4.1 and 4.2
2
Verify that the import declaration correctly captures the chemical and technical identifiers applicable to reactive dyes under Chapter 32 alongside the heading-specific qualifier fields. Incomplete or generic declarations attract customs query, detention, and demurrage pending rectification.
CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus dated 30-09-2023, Paragraphs 4.1 and 4.2

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is filing the bill of entry with a product description limited to the 8-digit CTH alone, without the mandatory chemical and technical qualifiers required under Paragraphs 4.1 and 4.2 of CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus. Deficient qualifier declarations trigger a customs query that halts out-of-charge, and the resulting detention and demurrage accumulate before any substantive review of the goods themselves.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 3204 16 60 require BIS certification?

No. Reactive dyes classified under this tariff line are not covered by any BIS Quality Control Order. Import compliance is governed by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs under CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus, which mandates additional qualifier declarations for Chapter 32 commodities.

From which date are the Chapter 32 qualifier declarations mandatory under CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus?

The mandatory additional qualifier requirements for Chapters 28, 29, 32, 39 and CTH 3808 became operative with effect from 15 October 2023 per CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus dated 30 September 2023.

Which other chapters are covered by the same mandatory qualifier regime as Chapter 32?

CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus extends the mandatory qualifier requirement to commodities under Chapters 28, 29 and 39 and CTH 3808 in addition to Chapter 32, so importers handling multiple chemical or polymer tariff lines must apply the Circular across all affected headings.

Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: CBIC / Indian Customs CUSDATA.