Cotton sewing thread, not containing any synthetic staple fibre

Cotton sewing thread for retail sale, no synthetic staple

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5204 20 40 (Cotton sewing thread, put up for retail sale, not containing any synthetic staple fibre) is subject to the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), with a mandatory Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate (PSIC) requirement under General Note 10 to certify absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes. Imports from countries outside a defined exempt list require a PSIC from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country or a valid test report from the Textile Committee or CSRTI.

What this is

HSN code

5204 20 40

Chapter

52 · Cotton

Primary regulator

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

Customs documentation

Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from accredited lab
Test report from Textile Committee or CSRTI
Import compliance declaration from DGFT

Compliance steps

1
Before shipment, 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 absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes. This document must accompany the bill of entry for all origins not in the exempt list.
General Note 10 of ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
2
Confirm the country of origin against the azo-dye testing exemption list — EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom. Consignments from any other origin without a valid PSIC or TC/CSRTI test report are liable to detention at port.
General Note 10 of 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 the azo-dye testing exemption is wider than it is: the exemption applies exclusively to the nine listed origins, and a certificate of origin from an unlisted country does not substitute for a PSIC even when the actual manufacturing country is exempt. Where the exporting country differs from the country of manufacture, the test report must reflect the manufacturing origin, not the re-export point; an incorrect origin declaration exposes the consignment to detention and the importer to a DGFT-policy contravention.

Need a regulatory steer on this product?

Speak to a regulatory counsel about your specific HSN, IS, and supplier situation.

Speak to an Expert

Frequently asked

Does HSN 5204 20 40 require BIS certification?

No, cotton sewing thread put up for retail sale is not covered by any BIS Quality Control Order. Import is governed by the ITC (HS) policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, principally through the azo-dye PSIC requirement under General Note 10.

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

Per DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14 June 2023, azo-dye testing is exempted for imports originating from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom only; all other origins require a PSIC or TC/CSRTI test report.

Can a valid Textile Committee test report substitute for a PSIC from the exporting country's accredited laboratory?

Yes. General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy accepts either a PSIC from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country or a valid test report from the Textile Committee or CSRTI as equivalent documentation for azo-dye compliance.

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