Other

Plain weave cotton fabric, lightweight (not more than 100 g/m2)

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5208 51 90 (plain weave cotton woven fabric, not more than 100 g/m²) is subject to the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), which requires a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate covering prohibited hazardous dye absence under General Note 10. Imports from countries outside the azo-dye-testing exemption list must furnish a certificate from 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 90

Chapter

52 · Cotton

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) import policy, General Note 10 (prohibited hazardous dyes), Chapter 52

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 the Textile Committee (TC) or Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute (CSRTI), certifying the absence of prohibited hazardous dyes, including azo dyes. Upload this document in e-Sanchit before filing the bill of entry.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
2
Confirm the country of export against the azo-dye-testing exemption list before shipment. Testing for azo dyes is waived only for imports originating from EU member states, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom; all other origins require the full PSIC.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023

A word of counsel

The most frequent error on this tariff line is conflating the azo-dye-testing exemption with a blanket PSIC waiver. Even for the nine exempted origins, the PSIC covering other prohibited hazardous dyes — beyond azo dyes specifically — remains mandatory; the exemption is narrow and covers azo-dye testing only. A consignment arriving without a compliant PSIC is liable to detention and demurrage at the port of entry pending documentation rectification.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5208 51 90 require BIS certification?

No, plain weave cotton woven fabrics 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 under General Note 10, which mandates a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate for prohibited hazardous dye absence.

Is the PSIC requirement waived for imports from the EU and other listed countries?

Only partially. The azo-dye component of testing is waived for imports from EU member states, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom, but a PSIC certifying absence of other prohibited hazardous dyes remains required per DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023.

Which laboratory is authorised to issue the test report in lieu of a PSIC?

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

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