Shirting fabrics

Cotton shirting fabrics in 3-thread or 4-thread twill weave

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5208 23 10 (Shirting fabrics) 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 obligation is governed by General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy.

What this is

HSN code

5208 23 10

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 exporter
Azo-dye test report from accredited laboratory

Compliance steps

1
For imports from any origin not listed as exempt, obtain a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country certifying the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes before the consignment is dispatched to India.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
2
If the exporting country is the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, or the United Kingdom, the azo-dye testing requirement is exempt. Retain documentation confirming the origin to present at the bill-of-entry stage if requested by the proper officer.
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 country-of-origin exemption from azo-dye testing extends to goods merely transshipped through an exempt country. The exemption applies to goods originating in the listed countries; a consignment manufactured elsewhere and transshipped through, for example, the EU retains the testing obligation, and a missing PSIC at the bill of entry results in consignment detention until testing compliance is established.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5208 23 10 require BIS certification?

No, woven cotton shirting fabrics in twill weave are not covered by any BIS Quality Control Order. Import is governed by the ITC (HS) policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, specifically the azo-dye testing obligation under General Note 10.

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

Imports from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom only are exempt from azo-dye testing per General Note 10 and DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023; all other origins must supply a PSIC.

Does the azo-dye exemption apply if goods originate outside the listed countries but are invoiced from one of them?

No. The exemption is origin-based, not invoice-based; goods manufactured in a non-exempt country do not qualify for the exemption on account of being invoiced or transshipped through an exempt country, and the PSIC remains mandatory.

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