Muslin (including lawn mulmul and organdi) of carded or combed yarn

Plain weave cotton muslin, lawn, mulmul and organdi fabrics

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5208 31 70 (Muslin including lawn, mulmul and organdi of carded or combed yarn) 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 PSIC must be issued by an accredited laboratory of the exporting country or carry a valid test report from the Textile Committee or CSRTI.

What this is

HSN code

5208 31 70

Chapter

52 · Cotton

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) import policy, General Note 10 (prohibited hazardous dyes)

Customs documentation

Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from accredited lab
Test report from Textile Committee
Import policy declaration from DGFT

Compliance steps

1
Before shipment, obtain a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country, or a valid test report from the Textile Committee (TC) or the Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute (CSRTI), certifying the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes in the consignment.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
2
Note that 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 at the bill of entry; absence of the certificate at customs examination will result in detention of the consignment.
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 applies broadly to all shipments transiting through an exempt country. The exemption is tied strictly to the country of origin, not the country of export or transhipment; a consignment of Indian-origin muslin re-exported via a UK warehouse, for instance, does not automatically qualify. Verify the certificate of origin before relying on the exemption, as a wrongly claimed exemption results in consignment detention pending PSIC submission.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5208 31 70 require BIS certification?

No, plain weave cotton muslin fabrics are not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, principally through the General Note 10 requirement for a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate certifying the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes.

Which laboratories are authorised to issue the PSIC for azo-dye testing?

The PSIC must be issued by an accredited laboratory of the exporting country; alternatively, a valid test report from the Textile Committee or CSRTI is accepted, per General Note 10 and DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023.

Are imports from all countries required to furnish an azo-dye PSIC?

No. Imports originating from 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 submit a valid PSIC before customs out-of-charge.

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