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HomeHSNChapter 52HSN 5209 11 90

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Plain weave cotton fabric, unbleached, weighing over 200 g/m2

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5209 11 90 (plain weave woven cotton fabric, unbleached, weighing more than 200 g/m²) is subject to the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), which mandates a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate confirming the absence of prohibited azo dyes. The azo-dye testing requirement applies to all origins except the nine countries exempted under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy.

What this is
HSN code
5209 11 90
Chapter
52 · Cotton
Primary regulator
DGFT · ITC (HS) import policy, General Note 10, 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
    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. This requirement applies to all origins other than the 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. 2
    Confirm the country of origin before filing the bill of entry: if the exporting country is among the nine exempted origins, document the origin exemption clearly in the import record. For all other origins, the PSIC must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before out-of-charge.
    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 is wider than the nine listed countries. An importer sourcing plain-weave cotton fabric from a non-listed origin — including countries with bilateral trade ties such as Bangladesh, China, or Vietnam — must furnish a PSIC or accredited test report; absence of this document at the bill-of-entry stage triggers consignment detention and demurrage accrual pending documentary compliance.

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Frequently asked
Does HSN 5209 11 90 require BIS certification?
No, plain weave woven cotton fabrics 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 Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirement under General Note 10.
Which countries are exempt from azo-dye testing for this tariff line?
The EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom only, per General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy and DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023; all other origins must furnish an accredited PSIC.
Does the azo-dye exemption for listed countries also waive the Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate for composition or other parameters?
No. The exemption under General Note 10 applies specifically to testing for the presence of azo dyes; any other PSIC requirements for textile composition or hazardous substances remain applicable even for the nine exempt origins.
Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: DGFT / Indian Customs CUSDATA.
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