Cotton thread, sewing, containing any synthetic staple fibre

Cotton sewing thread with synthetic staple fibre content

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5204 11 10 (Cotton sewing thread, containing any synthetic staple fibre) is subject to the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), which requires a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate (PSIC) certifying the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes. The PSIC must originate from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country or carry a valid test report from the Textile Committee or CSRTI, per General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy and DGFT Public Notice 14/2023.

What this is

HSN code

5204 11 10

Chapter

52 · Cotton

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) import policy, General Note 10 — hazardous dye prohibition, Chapter 52

Customs documentation

Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from accredited lab
Test report from Textile Committee or CSRTI
Azo-dye exemption declaration from DGFT

Compliance steps

1
Obtain a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country, or a valid test report from the Textile Committee (TC) or CSRTI, certifying the absence of prohibited hazardous dyes before shipment. The certificate must accompany the bill of entry at customs clearance.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
2
If the consignment originates from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, or the United Kingdom, the azo-dye testing requirement is waived; document the origin clearly in the bill of entry to claim the exemption. Importers from all other origins must produce the full PSIC without exception.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is assuming that country-of-origin exemption from azo-dye testing removes the PSIC requirement entirely. The azo-dye exemption covers only that one parameter; other hazardous-dye prohibitions under General Note 10 remain in force regardless of origin. A bill of entry filed without any PSIC or TC/CSRTI test report — even for an exempt-origin shipment — is liable to detention pending document production.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5204 11 10 require BIS certification?

No, cotton sewing thread is not covered by any BIS Quality Control Order. Import compliance is governed by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under the ITC (HS) import policy, specifically the hazardous-dye prohibition under General Note 10 requiring a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate.

Which countries are exempt from azo-dye testing for this tariff line?

Imports from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom are exempt from azo-dye testing only, per General Note 10 and DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023; all other origins must furnish a full PSIC from an accredited laboratory.

Can a test report from any laboratory substitute for the PSIC on this HSN?

No. The test report must originate from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country, or from the Textile Committee or CSRTI specifically; reports from non-accredited or unlisted laboratories do not satisfy the General Note 10 requirement and will result in consignment detention.

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