Lungi

Woven cotton lungi fabric, plain weave lightweight

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5208 51 10 (Lungi) 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. The PSIC must be issued by an accredited laboratory of the exporting country or a valid test report from the Textile Committee or CSRTI.

What this is

HSN code

5208 51 10

Chapter

52 · Cotton

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) Import Policy, General Note 10 — textile hazardous dye requirement

Customs documentation

Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from accredited lab
Test report from Textile Committee
Azo-dye exemption declaration from exporter

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 or CSRTI laboratory, certifying the absence of prohibited hazardous dyes including azo dyes. This document must accompany the bill of entry for all originating countries not on the exemption list.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
2
Confirm the country of origin before filing the bill of entry. Imports from EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom are exempt from azo-dye testing only; the PSIC for other composition and hazardous-dye parameters remains required even for exempt origins.
DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023 · General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is assuming that origin-based azo-dye exemption removes the PSIC requirement entirely. The exemption is dye-test-specific: imports from the nine listed countries are relieved only of azo-dye testing, not of the broader hazardous-dye PSIC obligation. Presenting no PSIC at all — even from an exempt origin — exposes the consignment to detention and customs out-of-charge refusal pending documentary compliance.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5208 51 10 require BIS certification?

No, woven cotton lungi fabric falls outside the BIS Quality Control Order regime; no BIS QCO covers this product family. Import is governed by the ITC (HS) policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, with a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirement under General Note 10 confirming absence of prohibited hazardous dyes.

Which countries are exempt from azo-dye testing for this tariff line?

EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom are exempt from azo-dye testing only, per DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023; the PSIC covering other prohibited hazardous dyes remains mandatory for all origins including these nine.

Can a test report from the Textile Committee substitute for the accredited-lab PSIC?

Yes. A valid test report from the Textile Committee (TC) or CSRTI is expressly accepted as an alternative to a PSIC from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy.

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