Other

Woven cotton fabrics, other printed (not more than 200 g/m2)

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5208 49 90 (Other woven cotton fabrics) is subject to the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), which mandates a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate (PSIC) for textile and textile articles under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy. The PSIC must be issued by an accredited laboratory of the exporting country or be a valid test report from the Textile Committee or CSRTI, certifying the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes.

What this is

HSN code

5208 49 90

Chapter

52 · Cotton

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) import policy, General Note 10 (azo-dye PSIC requirement)

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 Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute (CSRTI), certifying the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes before dispatch.
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 originating from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom; consignments from all other origins must present a valid PSIC at the bill of entry without exception.
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 testing exemption extends to all preferred-trade-agreement partners or to any country with strong textile-safety credentials. The exemption is exhaustively listed — EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom — and no analogical extension is permitted. Consignments from unlisted origins that arrive without a valid PSIC are detained at the port of import pending production of the certificate, attracting demurrage and ground rent.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5208 49 90 require BIS certification?

No, woven cotton fabrics under this tariff line 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, with a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirement for azo-dye absence under General Note 10.

Is a PSIC required even when the exporting country has strong fabric-safety standards?

Yes, unless the origin is one of the nine explicitly listed exempt countries under DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023. All other origins must present a PSIC from an accredited laboratory or a valid test report from the Textile Committee or CSRTI.

Can a test report from the Textile Committee substitute for a PSIC from an accredited foreign laboratory?

Yes. General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy accepts either a PSIC from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country or a valid test report from the Textile Committee or CSRTI as compliant documentation at the bill of entry.

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