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HomeHSNChapter 52HSN 5208 11 10

Dhoti

Woven cotton dhoti, plain weave lightweight fabric

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5208 11 10 (Dhoti) is subject to the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), with a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirement covering the absence of prohibited azo dyes under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy. Imports of textile articles from origins outside a listed group of exempt countries must be accompanied by a valid test report from an accredited laboratory certifying azo-dye absence.

What this is
HSN code
5208 11 10
Chapter
52 · Cotton
Primary regulator
DGFT · ITC (HS) import policy, General Note 10, Chapter 52
Customs documentation
  • Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from accredited laboratory
  • Azo-dye test report from exporter
  • ITC (HS) policy declaration from DGFT
Compliance steps
  1. 1
    Obtain a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate or valid test report from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country, or from a Textile Committee or CSRTI laboratory, certifying the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes. This requirement applies to all origins except EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom.
    General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
  2. 2
    Upload the PSIC or test report in e-Sanchit at the bill of entry stage before out-of-charge. Consignments from non-exempt origins arriving without azo-dye test documentation are liable to detention pending laboratory verification.
    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 the azo-dye exemption extends to all major trading partners. The exemption covers EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom only; imports from Bangladesh, China, Vietnam, and other significant textile-exporting countries require a PSIC regardless of supplier assurances. Filing a bill of entry without the test report from a non-exempt origin results in port detention and demurrage while laboratory verification is arranged.

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Frequently asked
Does HSN 5208 11 10 require BIS certification?
No, woven cotton dhoti fabric is not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, with a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirement for azo-dye absence 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 14-06-2023 and General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy, azo-dye testing is exempted only for imports originating from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom.
Does the azo-dye exemption for listed countries also waive all other PSIC requirements?
No. The exemption applies specifically to azo-dye testing; a PSIC covering composition and other parameters required under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy may still be required even for exempt-country origins.
Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: DGFT / Indian Customs CUSDATA.
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