Other

Plain weave cotton fabric, unbleached or other, lightweight

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5208 41 90 (woven plain-weave cotton fabric weighing not more than 100 g/m²) is subject to ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), which mandates a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate covering the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes under General Note 10. No additional sectoral PGA licence is required beyond this DGFT policy condition.

What this is

HSN code

5208 41 90

Chapter

52 · Cotton

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) import policy, General Note 10 (azo-dye prohibition), Chapter 52

Customs documentation

Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from accredited lab
Test report from Textile Committee or CSRTI
ITC (HS) policy 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 Sheep and Wool Research Institute (CSRTI) laboratory, certifying the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes. This document must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before the bill of entry is filed.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
2
Confirm whether the exporting country qualifies for the azo-dye testing exemption. Imports from EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom alone are exempt from azo-dye testing; all other origins require the full PSIC or TC/CSRTI test report.
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 azo-dye exemption applies to all origins when in fact it covers only nine named countries. Shipments from any other origin without a valid PSIC or TC/CSRTI test report are liable to detention at the port of import and will not receive customs out-of-charge until the required documentation is produced; retrospective testing on an undocumented consignment extends clearance timelines and attracts demurrage.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5208 41 90 require BIS certification?

No, plain-weave cotton fabrics are not covered by any BIS Quality Control Order. 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 absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes.

Which laboratories are authorised to issue the PSIC or test report for azo-dye compliance?

An accredited laboratory of the exporting country may issue the PSIC; alternatively, a valid test report from a Textile Committee or CSRTI laboratory is accepted, per DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023.

Are imports from all EU member states exempt from azo-dye testing?

Yes, the EU is listed as a single exempt origin under General Note 10; however, imports from any country not in the named list of nine — EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom — remain subject to the full PSIC requirement.

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