Embroidery cotton thread

Embroidery cotton thread, high-cotton sewing thread

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5204 11 30 (Embroidery cotton thread) 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) covering the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Policy. Importers must source the PSIC from an accredited laboratory in the exporting country or a valid test report from the Textile Committee or CSRTI.

What this is

HSN code

5204 11 30

Chapter

52 · Cotton

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) import policy, General Note 10 (hazardous dyes), Chapter 52

Customs documentation

Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from accredited lab
Test report from Textile Committee
ITC (HS) policy 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 Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute (CSRTI), confirming the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes before shipment is dispatched.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
2
Note that the azo-dye testing exemption applies only to imports originating from EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom; PSIC remains mandatory for all other origins and must be uploaded in e-Sanchit at the bill of entry.
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 because the exporting country holds a general textile trade relationship with India, the PSIC requirement is routine and can be arranged post-shipment. The PSIC must be issued before dispatch; a consignment arriving without it — or with a test report from a laboratory not accredited in the exporting country — is detained at the port of import pending re-inspection or re-export, attracting demurrage and ground rent.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5204 11 30 require BIS certification?

No, embroidery cotton thread is not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy, requiring a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate for absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes.

Which countries are exempt from azo-dye testing under DGFT Public Notice 14/2023?

Testing for azo dyes is exempted only for imports originating from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom; PSIC covering other composition parameters still applies to all origins.

Can the test report be issued by any laboratory, or must it be from a specific body?

The test report must come from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country, or from the Textile Committee or CSRTI; reports from non-accredited laboratories are not accepted and will result in consignment detention at the port.

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