Zari bordered sarees

Woven cotton sarees with zari border

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5208 39 10 (Zari bordered sarees) 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) from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country covering the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes. This requirement flows from General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy, with a country-specific exemption for nine named origins.

What this is

HSN code

5208 39 10

Chapter

52 · Cotton

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) Import Policy, General Note 10 — textile hazardous-dye regime

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. Failure to produce a compliant certificate at the bill-of-entry stage results in detention pending laboratory re-testing at the importer's cost.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
2
Verify whether the country of origin qualifies for the azo-dye testing exemption. The exemption applies only to imports from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom; all other origins must furnish the PSIC regardless of the fabric type or the importer's track record.
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 nine-country azo-dye exemption covers all textile compliance obligations: it exempts only the azo-dye component of the PSIC; the underlying obligation to produce a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from an accredited laboratory remains in force for composition and other prohibited-substance parameters regardless of origin. Presenting a commercial test report from a non-accredited in-house laboratory in place of an accredited PSIC routinely triggers consignment detention and ground rent accumulation at the port of import.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5208 39 10 require BIS certification?

No, woven cotton sarees fall outside the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, specifically the hazardous-dye PSIC mandate under General Note 10 read with DGFT Public Notice 14/2023.

Which laboratories are accredited to issue the Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate for azo-dye compliance?

The PSIC must be issued by an accredited laboratory of the exporting country, or alternatively by the Textile Committee or CSRTI in India; a test report from any of these bodies satisfies the General Note 10 requirement per DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023.

Does the azo-dye exemption for EU and other listed countries mean no pre-shipment testing is required at all?

No. The exemption under General Note 10 covers only the azo-dye testing component; a PSIC addressing other prohibited hazardous dyes and composition parameters remains mandatory for all origins, including the nine exempt countries.

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