Other

Unbleached plain-weave cotton fabric, heavy weight

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5209 21 90 (Other unbleached plain-weave cotton fabric weighing more than 200 g/m²) is subject to the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), with a mandatory Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate covering the absence of prohibited azo dyes under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy. Imports from countries outside the designated exempt list require azo-dye testing by an accredited laboratory.

What this is

HSN code

5209 21 90

Chapter

52 · Cotton

Primary regulator

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

Customs documentation

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

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. This requirement applies to all origins except EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and United Kingdom.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
2
Upload the Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate and supporting azo-dye test report in e-Sanchit before filing the bill of entry. Consignments from exempt countries must still carry documentation confirming the country of origin to claim the azo-dye testing exemption.
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 testing exemption applies universally. The exemption covers only the nine listed countries — EU member states, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom — and origin documentation must affirmatively establish the exporting country before the exemption can be claimed at the bill of entry; an incomplete or ambiguous certificate of origin forces the customs officer to treat the consignment as non-exempt, triggering detention pending a compliant PSIC.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5209 21 90 require BIS certification?

No, heavy plain-weave cotton 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 azo-dye testing requirement under General Note 10 and DGFT Public Notice 14/2023.

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

EU member states, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom are exempt per General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy and DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14 June 2023; all other origins require a PSIC from an accredited laboratory.

What happens if the Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate is missing at the bill of entry for a non-exempt origin?

The consignment is liable to detention at the port of import pending submission of a compliant PSIC; customs out-of-charge will not be granted until the mandatory azo-dye testing documentation is uploaded in e-Sanchit.

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