Casement

Plain weave cotton casement fabric, under 100 g/m2

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5208 31 40 (Casement) is subject to the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), which requires a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate (PSIC) covering the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy. The PSIC must originate from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country, or a valid test report from a Textile Committee or CSRTI laboratory.

What this is

HSN code

5208 31 40

Chapter

52 · Cotton

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) import policy, General Note 10 — hazardous dye testing, Chapter 52

Customs documentation

Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from accredited lab
Test report from Textile Committee or CSRTI
ITC (HS) policy declaration 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 (TC) or Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute (CSRTI) laboratory, certifying the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes before the consignment is shipped.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
2
Note the country-of-origin exemption: azo-dye testing is exempted only for imports originating from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom. Consignments from all other origins must carry the PSIC or valid test report without exception.
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 azo-dye exemption applies broadly and arriving at the port of entry without a PSIC. The exemption is an exhaustive closed list — nine jurisdictions only — and any origin outside that list requires the certificate regardless of the exporter's own compliance claims. A missing PSIC on a non-exempt origin results in consignment detention pending laboratory testing, with demurrage and ground rent accruing throughout.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5208 31 40 require BIS certification?

No, plain weave cotton casement fabric is not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by the ITC (HS) policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, principally the hazardous-dye testing requirement under General Note 10 and DGFT Public Notice 14/2023.

Is a PSIC from any laboratory acceptable, or must it come from a specific body?

The PSIC must originate from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country; alternatively, a valid test report from a Textile Committee or CSRTI laboratory is accepted per General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy.

Does the azo-dye testing exemption apply to a consignment transshipped through an exempt country?

No. The exemption applies to the country of origin, not the country of transshipment; a fabric of non-exempt origin transshipped through, for example, an EU port retains the PSIC requirement at the Indian bill of entry.

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