Saree

Woven cotton sarees, plain weave heavy fabric

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5209 11 12 (Saree) is subject to ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), with a mandatory Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate confirming absence of prohibited azo dyes under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy. Imports from origins outside the exempted list must furnish an azo-dye test report from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country.

What this is

HSN code

5209 11 12

Chapter

52 · Cotton

Primary regulator

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

Customs documentation

Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from exporter
Azo-dye test report from accredited laboratory
ITC (HS) policy declaration to CBIC

Compliance steps

1
Obtain a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country certifying the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes before the consignment is dispatched. This requirement applies to all origins except EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
2
Upload the azo-dye test report or PSIC in e-Sanchit before filing the bill of entry, and declare origin compliance at the bill-of-entry stage. Consignments lacking the required certification are liable to detention pending laboratory testing at the importer's cost.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023

A word of counsel

The country-of-origin exemption for azo-dye testing is frequently misapplied: the exemption covers the nine listed countries only, and goods transshipped through an exempt country from a non-exempt origin do not inherit the exemption. Verify the country of manufacture — not the port of export — against the exempted-origin list before deciding whether a PSIC is required; arriving without the certificate from a non-exempt origin results in detention and mandatory laboratory testing before out-of-charge is granted.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5209 11 12 require BIS certification?

No, woven cotton sarees are not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, principally through the azo-dye testing requirement under General Note 10.

Which countries are exempt from the azo-dye PSIC requirement for this tariff line?

Imports from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom are exempt from azo-dye testing under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy per DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023; all other origins must furnish a PSIC.

What happens if a saree consignment arrives from a non-exempt country without the azo-dye test report?

Customs will detain the consignment pending mandatory laboratory testing; clearance is withheld until a compliant test result is obtained, and demurrage and ground rent accrue against the importer during the period of detention.

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