Of Handloom

Handloom plain weave cotton fabric, lightweight (under 100 g/m2)

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5208 31 21 (Of Handloom) is subject to the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), which mandates a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate (PSIC) certifying the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Policy. The PSIC must be issued by an accredited laboratory in the exporting country, or substituted by a valid test report from a Textile Committee or CSRTI laboratory.

What this is

HSN code

5208 31 21

Chapter

52 · Cotton

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) import policy, General Note 10 (hazardous dye certification)

Customs documentation

Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from accredited exporting-country lab
Test report from Textile Committee or CSRTI
Import declaration from DGFT

Compliance steps

1
Obtain a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from an accredited laboratory in the exporting country, or a valid test report 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
Upload the PSIC or qualifying test report in e-Sanchit before filing the bill of entry. Consignments arriving without a valid azo-dye clearance document are liable to detention pending compliance verification 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 that the azo-dye PSIC exemption for listed countries covers all textile testing requirements. The exemption applies only to azo-dye testing; conformity with other hazardous-substance prohibitions under General Note 10 remains required regardless of origin. Importers sourcing from non-exempt countries who present a test report lacking explicit azo-dye findings — rather than a nil-detection certificate — face consignment detention at the bill of entry stage.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5208 31 21 require BIS certification?

No, no BIS Quality Control Order covers this tariff line. Import is governed by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy, which mandates a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate certifying absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes.

Which countries are exempt from azo-dye testing under DGFT Public Notice 14/2023?

The EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom are exempt from azo-dye testing only; all other origins must provide a PSIC from an accredited laboratory or a valid Textile Committee or CSRTI test report.

Can a CSRTI test report substitute for the accredited-lab PSIC at the bill of entry?

Yes. A valid test report from a Textile Committee (TC) or Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute (CSRTI) laboratory is accepted as an alternative to the exporting-country accredited-laboratory PSIC under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Policy.

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