Bleached

Bleached single cotton yarn, medium count (14 to 43 metric number)

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5205 12 20 (Bleached cotton yarn, 14–43 metric number) is governed by the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), which mandates a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate certifying absence of prohibited azo dyes for imports from most origins. Imports from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom are exempt from azo-dye testing under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy.

What this is

HSN code

5205 12 20

Chapter

52 · Cotton

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) import policy, General Note 10 (azo-dye testing), Chapter 52

Customs documentation

Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from accredited laboratory
Test report from Textile Committee
ITC (HS) policy declaration from DGFT

Compliance steps

1
For consignments originating outside the nine exempt countries, obtain a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country, or a valid test report from the Textile Committee or CSRTI, certifying the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes. This document must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before the bill of entry is processed.
General Note 10 of ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
2
If the origin is one of the nine exempt countries — EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea or the United Kingdom — document the exemption claim at the bill of entry with proof of origin. The azo-dye PSIC is waived for these origins only; all other import-policy conditions remain in force.
General Note 10 of ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is assuming the azo-dye exemption applies universally because certain major suppliers are exempt. The exemption is origin-specific and narrowly listed; a consignment from any country not on the nine-country list that arrives without a valid Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate is liable to detention and ground rent while the importer attempts to arrange retrospective testing — which customs may not accept as a substitute for the pre-shipment requirement.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5205 12 20 require BIS certification?

No, bleached cotton yarn in this count range 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 the azo-dye testing requirement under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy.

Which countries are exempt from the azo-dye Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirement?

Only the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom are exempt per DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023; all other origins must furnish a PSIC from an accredited laboratory before the bill of entry is filed.

Does the azo-dye exemption for listed countries remove all PSIC requirements for this HSN?

The exemption covers only the azo-dye testing component; any other Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirements under General Note 10 for composition or other parameters remain applicable even for exempt-origin consignments.

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