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HomeHSNChapter 52HSN 5209 11 11

Dhoti

Plain weave cotton dhoti fabric, heavy weight

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5209 11 11 (Dhoti) is subject to the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), including a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirement for textile imports covering azo-dye absence under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy. Azo-dye testing is exempted for imports originating from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom; all other origins must comply in full.

What this is
HSN code
5209 11 11
Chapter
52 · Cotton
Primary regulator
DGFT · ITC (HS) import policy, General Note 10 (azo-dye compliance), Chapter 52
Customs documentation
  • Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from accredited lab
  • Test report from Textile Committee
  • ITC (HS) policy declaration from DGFT
Compliance steps
  1. 1
    For imports from origins not covered by the azo-dye exemption, 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 azo dyes before the consignment is dispatched.
    General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
  2. 2
    If the consignment originates from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, or the United Kingdom, document the eligible origin clearly on the bill of entry to claim the azo-dye testing exemption. The exemption applies to azo-dye testing only; all other applicable ITC (HS) policy conditions remain in force.
    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 country-of-origin exemption from azo-dye testing dispenses with all pre-shipment textile compliance. The exemption is narrowly confined to azo-dye testing; a PSIC covering other prohibited substances and composition parameters is still required from accredited laboratories for those exempt-origin countries, and failure to produce it at the bill-of-entry stage results in consignment detention pending re-inspection.

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Frequently asked
Does HSN 5209 11 11 require BIS certification?
No, plain weave cotton dhoti fabric is not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import compliance is governed by the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, principally the azo-dye Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirement under General Note 10.
Which countries are exempt from azo-dye testing for imports under this tariff line?
Per DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023, the exemption applies only to the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom; all other exporting countries must furnish a PSIC confirming absence of prohibited azo dyes.
Does the azo-dye exemption for listed countries remove the requirement for a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate entirely?
No. The exemption is limited to azo-dye testing only; a PSIC addressing other textile composition and hazardous-substance parameters remains required even for imports from the nine exempt origins listed under General Note 10.
Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: DGFT / Indian Customs CUSDATA.
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