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HomeHSNChapter 52HSN 5208 31 60

Mull (including limbric and willaya)

Plain weave cotton mull fabric (limbric, willaya)

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5208 31 60 (Mull including limbric and willaya) is subject to the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), which requires a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate certifying the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes under General Note 10. The obligation applies to all textile imports at the bill-of-entry stage.

What this is
HSN code
5208 31 60
Chapter
52 · Cotton
Primary regulator
DGFT · ITC (HS) import policy, General Note 10 (hazardous dyes)
Customs documentation
  • Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from accredited lab
  • Test report from Textile Committee or CSRTI
  • ITC (HS) policy compliance declaration to DGFT
Compliance steps
  1. 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. This document must accompany every consignment at the bill of entry.
    General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
  2. 2
    Note that the azo-dye testing exemption applies exclusively to imports originating from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. For all other origins, the PSIC is mandatory and its absence may result in consignment detention at the port of import.
    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 a country-of-origin exemption from azo-dye testing eliminates all PSIC obligations — it does not. The exemption covers azo-dye testing only; other composition and hazardous-substance parameters covered by General Note 10 remain required regardless of origin. Consignments from exempt countries that arrive without any test documentation are detained while compliance is established, generating demurrage and ground rent.

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Frequently asked
Does HSN 5208 31 60 require BIS certification?
No, woven cotton mull fabrics 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, principally through the hazardous-dye Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirement under General Note 10.
Which countries are exempt from azo-dye testing for this tariff line?
Per DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023, azo-dye testing is exempted for imports from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom only; all other origins must present a PSIC from an accredited laboratory.
Can a test report from an Indian laboratory substitute for the Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate?
Yes, a valid test report from a Textile Committee or CSRTI laboratory is accepted as an alternative to a PSIC from an accredited foreign laboratory, per General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy.
Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: DGFT / Indian Customs CUSDATA.
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