Bleached

Bleached cotton yarn, 43 to 52 metric number

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5205 23 20 (Bleached cotton yarn) is subject to the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), which requires a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate covering the absence of prohibited azo dyes for imports from non-exempt origins. The azo-dye testing requirement is governed by General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy, with country-specific exemptions applicable under DGFT Public Notice 14/2023.

What this is

HSN code

5205 23 20

Chapter

52 · Cotton

Primary regulator

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

Customs documentation

Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from exporter
Azo-dye test report from accredited laboratory
ITC (HS) policy declaration from DGFT

Compliance steps

1
Verify whether the country of origin is listed among the azo-dye testing exemptions — EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom only. For all other origins, obtain a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country confirming the absence of prohibited azo dyes before filing the bill of entry.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
2
Upload the Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate or valid test report in e-Sanchit at the bill of entry stage. Consignments from non-exempt origins without a current azo-dye clearance certificate are liable to detention at the port of import pending compliance.
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 yarn is bleached — and therefore visibly processed — it falls outside the prohibited-azo-dye testing scope. The testing obligation under General Note 10 applies to textile articles regardless of processing stage, and an importer who relies on the bleached appearance rather than a laboratory certificate will face consignment detention and demurrage while a retrospective test is arranged at an Indian port.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5205 23 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) Import Policy.

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

Exemptions apply to imports from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom only, per DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023; all other origins must furnish a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate.

Does the azo-dye exemption for listed countries remove all documentation requirements at the bill of entry?

The exemption is limited to azo-dye testing; standard customs documentation and any applicable ITC (HS) policy declarations remain required, and the origin claim supporting the exemption must be substantiated by the certificate of origin produced at the bill of entry.

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