Damask

Cotton damask woven fabric, twill weave with man-made fibres

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5211 12 30 (Damask) is subject to the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), which mandates a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from an accredited laboratory certifying the absence of prohibited azo dyes under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy. An exemption from azo-dye testing applies only to imports originating from specified countries.

What this is

HSN code

5211 12 30

Chapter

52 · Cotton

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) import policy, General Note 10 — azo-dye testing requirement

Customs documentation

Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from accredited lab
Azo-dye test report from exporter
ITC (HS) policy declaration to CBIC

Compliance steps

1
Procure a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country certifying the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes before shipment. This requirement applies to all origins except 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
Upload the Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate or valid test report in e-Sanchit at the bill of entry stage. Consignments arriving without the required azo-dye certification from non-exempt origins are liable to detention pending compliance.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023

A word of counsel

The country-of-origin exemption from azo-dye testing is narrow and exhaustive: only the nine named jurisdictions qualify. Fabric shipped from a non-listed country but transshipped through an exempt country does not inherit the exemption — the exporting country (country of origin) governs eligibility. Importers relying on transshipment routing to avoid the Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirement face consignment detention and potential confiscation under the ITC (HS) policy enforcement framework.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5211 12 30 require BIS certification?

No, cotton damask woven fabrics of this tariff line fall outside 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.

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

Per DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14 June 2023, testing for prohibited azo dyes is exempted only for imports originating from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom.

Does the azo-dye exemption for listed countries remove all pre-shipment documentation requirements?

The exemption applies specifically to azo-dye testing under General Note 10; other applicable ITC (HS) policy conditions and customs documentation requirements at the bill of entry remain in force regardless of origin.

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