Bengal deshi

Bengal deshi cotton, not carded or combed (raw cotton bales)

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · IS 12171

HSN 5201 00 11 (Bengal deshi cotton, not carded or combed) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to IS 12171:2019 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 27 August 2026, pursuant to the Cotton Bales (Quality Control) Amendment Order, 2023. Directorate General of Foreign Trade textile import policy controls, including Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirements, apply as a separate customs-clearance overlay.

What this is

HSN code

5201 00 11

Chapter

52 · Cotton

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 12171:2019 · effective 27-08-2026

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

BISBIS·Bureau of Indian Standards

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade.

Compliance steps

1
Source only from a Bureau of Indian Standards CM/L-licensed manufacturer or ginner holding a current licence against IS 12171:2019 for cotton bales. Verify the CM/L number, licensed facility, and product scope on the BIS online register before placing the purchase order.
Cotton Bales (Quality Control) Amendment Order, 2023 · S.O. 948(E) dated 28-02-2023 · Scheme-II of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
2
Ensure each cotton bale bears the ISI standard mark under the CM/L licence in accordance with Scheme-II of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. Marking must appear on the bale itself, covering bale density, moisture content, contamination grade, and identification per IS 12171:2019.
S.O. 948(E) dated 28-02-2023 · S.O. 3557(E) dated 07-08-2023 · S.O. 3830(E) dated 28-08-2023
3
Accompany the consignment with a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country, or a valid test report from the Textiles Committee or Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute, certifying absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes. Imports from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom are exempt from azo dye testing.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
4
Quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number on the bill of entry together with the PSIC documentation. Customs verifies the CM/L against the BIS register in real time; an absent, expired, or scope-mismatched licence triggers consignment detention and potential re-export or confiscation.
Cotton Bales (Quality Control) Amendment Order, 2023 · S.O. 2996(E) dated 03-07-2025 · BIS Act, 2016 · Customs Act, 1962
5
If the consignment originates in Bangladesh, verify whether the goods fall within the port restrictions introduced under paragraph 19 of the general notes to the ITC (HS) 2022 import policy. Goods outside the documented carve-outs listed in paragraphs 2 and 3 are restricted to specified ports of entry.
DGFT Notification 7/25-26 dated 17-05-2025 · General Note 19 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is treating the successive deferral notifications — S.O. 3557(E), S.O. 3830(E), and S.O. 2996(E) — as indefinite postponement rather than as a fixed enforcement date of 27 August 2026. Importers who place purchase orders with unlicensed ginners on the assumption of a further deferral will face consignment detention the moment the enforcement date passes and customs begins real-time CM/L verification. Supplier qualification against IS 12171:2019 requires a CM/L licensing cycle that typically takes several months, so procurement decisions must be made well ahead of the August 2026 cutoff.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5201 00 11 require BIS certification?

Yes. Conformity to IS 12171:2019 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 27 August 2026, pursuant to the Cotton Bales (Quality Control) Amendment Order, 2023; import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence.

Why has the enforcement date shifted multiple times, and is 27 August 2026 confirmed?

The original obligation under S.O. 948(E) was deferred by S.O. 3557(E) and S.O. 3830(E); S.O. 2996(E) dated 03-07-2025 sets the current enforcement date at 27 August 2026. That date is operative and should be treated as binding for procurement planning.

Is a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate required in addition to the BIS CM/L?

Yes. The PSIC from an accredited laboratory certifying absence of prohibited azo dyes is required under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy and is independent of the BIS QCO obligation. Imports from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom are exempt from azo dye testing.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all cotton bale varieties and ginning facilities?

No. The CM/L licence is facility-specific and scope-specific by staple length, fibre grade, and bale specification under IS 12171:2019; cotton bales from an unlicensed facility or outside the licensed product scope are not covered.

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