Shirting fabrics

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

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5208 33 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 (PSIC) from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country certifying the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes. This obligation derives from General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy and DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14 June 2023.

What this is

HSN code

5208 33 10

Chapter

52 · Cotton

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) Import Policy, General Note 10 — hazardous dye PSIC requirement

Customs documentation

Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from accredited lab
Test report from Textile Committee or CSRTI
ITC (HS) policy compliance 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 the Textile Committee (TC) or Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute (CSRTI), 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 origin is EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, or the United Kingdom, the azo-dye testing requirement is exempted; retain documentary evidence of the country of origin on the bill of entry to support the exemption claim at customs.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023

A word of counsel

The most frequent error on this tariff line is assuming the azo-dye exemption applies broadly to all developed-country origins. The exemption is limited to the nine countries listed in General Note 10 — EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom — and no other origin qualifies regardless of the exporting country's domestic textile safety standards. A missing or non-compliant PSIC triggers consignment detention at the customs examination stage, with demurrage accruing until the document is produced.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5208 33 10 require BIS certification?

No, woven cotton shirting fabrics are not covered by any BIS Quality Control Order. Import is governed by the ITC (HS) Import Policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, specifically the hazardous-dye PSIC requirement under General Note 10 and DGFT Public Notice 14/2023.

Is a test report from the Textile Committee an acceptable substitute for a PSIC from the exporting country's accredited laboratory?

Yes. A valid test report from the Textile Committee (TC) or CSRTI is an accepted alternative to a PSIC from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy.

Does the azo-dye testing exemption for listed countries remove all PSIC obligations?

The exemption covers only azo-dye testing; any other PSIC parameters required under General Note 10 remain applicable even for the nine exempt origins.

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