Muslin (including lawn, mulmul and organdi)

Plain weave cotton muslin (lawn, mulmul, organdi)

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5208 21 70 (Muslin including lawn, mulmul and organdi) is subject to the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), with a mandatory Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate covering the absence of prohibited azo dyes under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy. The azo-dye testing requirement applies to imports from all countries except a named list of nine exempted origins.

What this is

HSN code

5208 21 70

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 lab
Test report from Textile Committee
ITC (HS) policy compliance 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 a Textile Committee or CSRTI laboratory, confirming absence of prohibited 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
If the consignment originates from one of the nine exempted countries, retain documentary evidence of origin to produce at the bill-of-entry stage. Customs may require proof of origin to confirm entitlement to the azo-dye testing exemption; absence of adequate origin documentation can result in consignment detention pending testing.
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 testing exemption extends to all trading partners or to goods merely transiting through an exempted country. The exemption applies strictly to imports originating in the nine named countries; goods routed through, say, a European port but manufactured in a non-exempt origin remain subject to the Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirement, and presenting an inadequate test report at the bill of entry attracts detention and possible re-export of the consignment.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5208 21 70 require BIS certification?

No, plain weave cotton muslin fabrics fall outside the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under the ITC (HS) import policy, with the principal operative requirement being a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate certifying absence of prohibited azo dyes under General Note 10.

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

The nine exempt origins are: EU member states, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom, per DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023; all other exporting countries must supply a PSIC from an accredited laboratory.

What happens if the PSIC is missing or the test report is from a non-accredited laboratory?

Customs will detain the consignment at the port of entry pending a compliant test report; if one cannot be produced, the consignment is liable to re-export or confiscation under the ITC (HS) policy enforcement framework.

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