Of Handloom

Woven handloom cotton fabrics, lightweight (plain, printed, dyed)

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5208 49 21 (Of Handloom) is subject to the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), requiring a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate (PSIC) confirming absence of prohibited hazardous dyes under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy. Consignments from origins outside the exempted country list must be tested for azo-dye presence by an accredited laboratory of the exporting country, or carry a valid test report from a Textile Committee or CSRTI laboratory.

What this is

HSN code

5208 49 21

Chapter

52 · Cotton

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) Import Policy, General Note 10 (hazardous dyes)

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 a Textile Committee (TC) or Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute (CSRTI) laboratory, confirming the absence of prohibited hazardous dyes before shipment.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
2
Verify the country of origin against the azo-dye testing exemption list. Testing is waived only for imports from EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and United Kingdom; consignments from all other origins must carry the PSIC or valid test report at the bill of entry.
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 broadly to any developed-country origin. The exemption is a closed list — EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and United Kingdom only — and a consignment from any country not on that list arriving without a PSIC or valid TC/CSRTI test report will be detained at the port of import, attracting demurrage and ground rent pending production of the required document.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5208 49 21 require BIS certification?

No, woven handloom cotton 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 Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirement under General Note 10 to confirm absence of prohibited hazardous dyes.

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

The certificate must come from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country, or from a Textile Committee or CSRTI laboratory in India; DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023 and General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy govern this requirement.

Does the azo-dye testing exemption cover all textile products from exempt countries?

The exemption applies only to testing for azo dyes and only for imports from the nine named countries; all other hazardous-dye prohibitions under General Note 10 remain applicable, and the PSIC for composition and other parameters may still be required.

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