Indian cotton of staple length over 24.5 mm (31/32”) to 28 mm
Indian raw cotton bales, staple length 24.5 to 28 mm
HSN 5201 00 14 (Indian cotton of staple length over 24.5 mm to 28 mm) 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, by virtue of the Cotton Bales (Quality Control) Amendment Order, 2023. Directorate General of Foreign Trade textile import policy controls apply as a separate customs-clearance overlay.
Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade.
- 1Source only from a Bureau of Indian Standards CM/L-licensed manufacturer or ginning facility holding a current licence against IS 12171:2019 for cotton bales. Verify the CM/L number, licensed product scope, and facility address 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 · S.O. 2996(E) dated 03-07-2025
- 2Ensure each imported cotton bale bears the ISI standard mark and the supplier's CM/L number under Scheme-II of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. The mark must appear on the bale identification tag or wrapping as required under IS 12171:2019.Scheme-II of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · Cotton Bales (Quality Control) Amendment Order, 2023
- 3Obtain a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from an accredited laboratory 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 but the PSIC requirement for textile composition remains.General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
- 4Quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number and the PSIC reference on the bill of entry. Customs verifies the CM/L in real time against the BIS register; an absent, expired, or facility-mismatched CM/L triggers consignment detention regardless of the PSIC status.Cotton Bales (Quality Control) Amendment Order, 2023 · BIS Act, 2016 · Customs Act, 1962
- 5If the consignment originates in Bangladesh, verify whether port restrictions under paragraph 19 of the general notes to the import policy apply. Goods not falling within the documented exemptions under paragraphs 2 and 3 are restricted to specified ports of entry.DGFT Notification 7/25-26 dated 17-05-2025 · General Note 11 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy
The most common error on this tariff line is treating the enforcement date of 27 August 2026 as time available for deferred action rather than as the date by which every link in the supply chain — ginning facility, bale-press unit, and exporter — must already hold a valid CM/L against IS 12171:2019. The deferral notifications S.O. 3557(E), S.O. 3830(E), and S.O. 2996(E) extended the compliance window for the industry, but BIS CM/L applications require lead time for factory inspection and testing; importers who initiate supplier qualification after the enforcement date face consignment detention with no grace period.