Other

Other woven cotton fabrics, plain-dyed, not more than 200 g/m2

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5208 39 90 (other plain-woven cotton fabrics) is subject to ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), with a mandatory Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirement covering the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy.

What this is

HSN code

5208 39 90

Chapter

52 · Cotton

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) import policy, General Note 10, Chapter 52

Customs documentation

Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from accredited lab
Test report from Textile Committee or CSRTI
Azo-dye exemption declaration from DGFT

Compliance steps

1
Obtain a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate (PSIC) from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country, or a valid test report from a Textile Committee (TC) or Central Silk and Rayon 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 that the azo-dye testing exemption applies only to imports from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom; shipments from all other origins must be accompanied by a PSIC or valid test report covering azo-dye absence.
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 the azo-dye testing exemption extends beyond the nine listed countries. Importers sourcing from any country not on that list who arrive without a PSIC or valid TC/CSRTI test report face consignment detention at the port of entry; the absence of a PSIC is not rectifiable post-arrival in the same way as a labelling defect and can lead to re-export orders.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5208 39 90 require BIS certification?

No, woven cotton fabrics under this tariff line fall outside the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by the ITC (HS) policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, principally through the General Note 10 requirement for a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate certifying azo-dye absence.

Which countries are exempt from the azo-dye testing requirement for this HSN?

The EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom only; imports from all other origins require a PSIC from an accredited laboratory or a valid test report from a Textile Committee or CSRTI laboratory per DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023.

Is a test report from a domestic Indian laboratory acceptable in lieu of a PSIC from the exporting country?

The regulatory record specifies a PSIC from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country or a valid test report from a Textile Committee or CSRTI laboratory; a generic domestic laboratory report not issued by TC or CSRTI does not satisfy the General Note 10 requirement.

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