Of Handloom

Handloom woven cotton fabric, plain weave, under 100 g/m2

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5208 41 21 (Of Handloom) is subject to the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), under which all textile and textile articles require a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate confirming the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes. The requirement is grounded in General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy, with an azo-dye testing exemption available only for imports originating from specified countries.

What this is

HSN code

5208 41 21

Chapter

52 · Cotton

Primary regulator

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

Customs documentation

Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from accredited lab
Test report from Textile Committee or CSRTI
ITC (HS) policy compliance 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 CSRTI laboratory, certifying the absence of prohibited hazardous dyes before filing the bill of entry.
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. Testing for azo dyes is waived only for imports from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom; all other origins must furnish a PSIC 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 origin from one of the nine listed exempt countries dispenses with documentation entirely. The azo-dye testing exemption is country-specific and narrow: a PSIC covering composition, fibre content and other hazardous-substance parameters remains required for all origins, including exempt ones; only the azo-dye test component is waived. Presenting a test report that omits non-azo hazardous dye parameters is grounds for consignment detention at the port of entry.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5208 41 21 require BIS certification?

No, woven cotton handloom 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, with a mandatory Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate for absence of prohibited hazardous dyes under General Note 10.

Is the PSIC requirement waived for imports from the EU and other listed countries?

Only the azo-dye testing component is waived for imports from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom; a PSIC or valid test report covering other prohibited hazardous dyes remains mandatory for all origins per DGFT Public Notice 14/2023.

Which laboratories are authorised to issue the required test report?

The test report must be issued either by an accredited laboratory of the exporting country or by a Textile Committee (TC) or Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute (CSRTI) laboratory, as specified under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy.

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