Saree

Cotton saree fabric, plain weave, mixed with man-made fibres

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5210 11 20 (Saree) is subject to the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), which mandates a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate (PSIC) certifying absence of prohibited azo dyes for imports from non-exempt origins. General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) 2022 Schedule I is the operative policy condition at the bill-of-entry stage.

What this is

HSN code

5210 11 20

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
Import declaration from DGFT

Compliance steps

1
Obtain a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country, or a valid test report from the Textile Committee or CSRTI, certifying absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes. This requirement applies to all origins except EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom.
General Note 10 of ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
2
Upload the PSIC or test report in e-Sanchit before filing the bill of entry. Consignments from non-exempt countries arriving without a valid azo-dye test report are liable to detention pending submission of the certificate.
General Note 10 of 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 the country-of-origin exemption from azo-dye testing extends to goods merely transshipped through an exempt country — it does not. The exemption applies only to goods originating in the nine listed countries; a consignment of Chinese or Bangladeshi fabric routed through the United Kingdom still requires a PSIC from an accredited laboratory, and customs out-of-charge will be withheld until it is uploaded in e-Sanchit.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5210 11 20 require BIS certification?

No, woven cotton saree fabrics are not covered by any BIS Quality Control Order. Import is governed by the ITC (HS) policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, with a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate for azo-dye absence required under General Note 10 for non-exempt origins.

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

Per General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy and DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023, testing is exempted for imports originating in the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom only.

What happens if the PSIC is not available at the time of filing the bill of entry?

Customs out-of-charge will be withheld until the Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate or a valid Textile Committee test report is uploaded in e-Sanchit, exposing the importer to detention, demurrage, and ground rent at the port.

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