Other

Plain weave cotton fabric, heavy weight, unbleached or dyed

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5209 51 19 (plain weave woven cotton fabric, 85% or more by weight of cotton, weighing more than 200 g/m², residual category) is subject to the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). A Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate confirming the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes is mandated under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy for imports from most origins.

What this is

HSN code

5209 51 19

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 or CSRTI
ITC (HS) policy declaration to CBIC

Compliance steps

1
Obtain a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate (PSIC) from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country, or a valid test report from a Textile Committee (TC) or Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute (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
Confirm the country of origin before the bill of entry is filed. Imports from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom are exempt from azo-dye testing; imports from all other origins must carry a valid PSIC or TC/CSRTI test report or face detention at the customs station.
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 that because the fabric is 'other' (a residual 8-digit category), dye-testing requirements are somehow discretionary. The PSIC obligation attaches to all textile and textile articles under General Note 10 regardless of sub-classification, and exemption is origin-specific — a certificate of origin from a non-exempt country cannot substitute for the laboratory PSIC. Presenting a test report from an unaccredited laboratory is treated the same as presenting no report, resulting in consignment detention and potential ground rent accrual.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5209 51 19 require BIS certification?

No, 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 testing requirement under General Note 10 and DGFT Public Notice 14/2023.

Which countries are exempt from the azo-dye Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirement?

Only imports from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom are exempt from azo-dye testing; all other origins must present a PSIC from an accredited laboratory or a valid TC or CSRTI test report per DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023.

Can a Textile Committee test report substitute for a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate?

Yes, a valid test report from a Textile Committee or CSRTI laboratory is an accepted alternative to a PSIC from an accredited laboratory in the exporting country, provided the report certifies the absence of prohibited hazardous dyes per General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy.

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