Other

Other woven cotton fabrics, lightweight unbleached or bleached

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5208 49 29 (Other woven fabrics of cotton) is subject to the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), which requires a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate (PSIC) confirming the absence of prohibited hazardous dyes under General Note 10. The PSIC must originate from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country or carry a valid test report from the Textile Committee or CSRTI.

What this is

HSN code

5208 49 29

Chapter

52 · Cotton

Primary regulator

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

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 from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country, or a valid test report from the Textile Committee (TC) or CSRTI, certifying the absence of prohibited hazardous dyes including azo dyes. This document must be available at the bill-of-entry stage.
General Note 10 to Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
2
Confirm whether the country of origin is among the azo-dye-testing-exempt origins: EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and United Kingdom. For all other origins, the PSIC must specifically cover azo-dye absence; a general composition test report does not satisfy the requirement.
General Note 10 to Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is presenting a general fabric composition or quality test report in place of a PSIC that explicitly certifies the absence of prohibited hazardous dyes. Customs officers verify the scope of the test certificate at the bill-of-entry stage, and a report that does not address prohibited dyes — even from an accredited laboratory — results in consignment detention pending a fresh PSIC. The azo-dye exemption applies to country of origin, not to the nationality of the testing laboratory.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5208 49 29 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, with a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate for prohibited hazardous dyes mandated under General Note 10.

Is the PSIC requirement waived for imports from the EU or Japan?

Testing for azo dyes specifically is exempted for imports from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom per DGFT Public Notice 14/2023; however, the PSIC for other prohibited hazardous dyes and the underlying ITC (HS) policy compliance remain applicable.

Can a test report from a domestic Indian laboratory substitute for the PSIC from an exporting-country accredited lab?

No. General Note 10 and DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 require the PSIC from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country or a valid test report from the Textile Committee or CSRTI specifically; a report issued by any other domestic laboratory does not satisfy this requirement.

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