Shirting fabrics

Plain weave cotton shirting fabrics, lightweight woven

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5208 51 30 (Shirting fabrics) is subject to the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), requiring a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate confirming the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes under General Note 10 of the Import Policy. This requirement applies to all exporting countries except EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom.

What this is

HSN code

5208 51 30

Chapter

52 · Cotton

Primary regulator

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

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 before the consignment is dispatched to India.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
2
Verify whether the country of origin is among the azo-dye-testing-exempt origins — EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. For all other exporting countries, the PSIC or test report is mandatory and must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before the bill of entry is cleared.
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 extends to all major textile-exporting countries. China, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and Turkey are not on the exempt-origin list; consignments from these origins without a valid PSIC or accredited test report are detained at the port of import and cannot be released until compliant documentation is produced, with demurrage and ground rent accruing throughout.

Need a regulatory steer on this product?

Speak to a regulatory counsel about your specific HSN, IS, and supplier situation.

Speak to an Expert

Frequently asked

Does HSN 5208 51 30 require BIS certification?

No, plain weave cotton shirting fabrics are not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by the ITC (HS) policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, principally through the hazardous-dye Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirement under General Note 10.

Is the PSIC required even if the supplier provides a manufacturer's self-declaration on azo dyes?

No. General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy and DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023 require certification from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country or a valid test report from a Textile Committee or CSRTI laboratory; a supplier's self-declaration does not satisfy this requirement.

Does the azo-dye testing exemption for EU-origin goods also cover EU free-trade-zone re-exports?

The exemption applies to imports from the listed countries of origin; consignments transshipped or re-exported through an exempt-list country but originating elsewhere do not qualify for the exemption, and a PSIC from an accredited laboratory remains mandatory.

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