Shirting fabrics

Cotton twill shirting fabrics mixed with man-made fibres

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5211 12 10 (Shirting fabrics) 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 under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy. Imports from non-exempt origins must present accredited laboratory test reports; exemptions from azo-dye testing apply only to EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom.

What this is

HSN code

5211 12 10

Chapter

52 · Cotton

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) import policy, General Note 10 — azo-dye compliance, Chapter 52

Customs documentation

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

Compliance steps

1
For consignments originating outside the exempt countries, obtain a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country confirming the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes. Failure to produce this certificate at the bill of entry stage will result in consignment detention pending testing.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
2
If the consignment originates from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, or the United Kingdom, the azo-dye test requirement is waived; document the country of origin clearly on the bill of entry to invoke the exemption under General Note 10.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is assuming that the country-of-origin exemption extends to goods transshipped through an exempt country — it does not. The exemption is determined by the country of manufacture, not the country of export or the port of dispatch. A consignment woven in a non-exempt origin but routed through, say, the EU will require the full azo-dye PSIC at the Indian port of entry.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5211 12 10 require BIS certification?

No, woven cotton shirting fabrics are not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under the ITC (HS) import policy, with a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate for azo-dye absence required for most origins under General Note 10.

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

Per DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023 and General Note 10, testing is exempted only for imports originating from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom; all other origins must furnish an accredited laboratory PSIC.

Does the azo-dye exemption apply if the fabric is manufactured in a non-exempt country but exported from an exempt country?

No. The exemption is tied to the country of origin of manufacture, not the country of export; transshipment through an exempt country does not satisfy the General Note 10 exemption criteria.

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