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HomeHSNChapter 52HSN 5211 20 30

Flannelette

Bleached flannelette, cotton-blend woven fabric

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5211 20 30 (Flannelette) is subject to the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), which mandates Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate testing for the absence of prohibited azo dyes under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy. 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 comply in full.

What this is
HSN code
5211 20 30
Chapter
52 · Cotton
Primary regulator
DGFT · ITC (HS) import policy, General Note 10 (azo-dye testing), Chapter 52
Customs documentation
  • Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from exporter
  • Azo-dye test report from accredited laboratory
  • ITC (HS) policy declaration from DGFT
Compliance steps
  1. 1
    For shipments originating outside the nine exempted countries, obtain a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country confirming the absence of prohibited azo dyes before dispatch. Shipments from non-exempted origins without this certificate are liable to detention at the port of import.
    General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
  2. 2
    For shipments from EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, or the United Kingdom, document the origin clearly on the bill of entry to invoke the azo-dye-testing exemption. Origin misrepresentation removes the exemption and triggers full PSIC requirements.
    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 the azo-dye-testing exemption applies broadly or to all cotton-blend fabrics sourced through an exempted-country trading hub. The exemption is tied to the country of origin, not the country of export: goods manufactured in a non-exempted country but shipped via, say, a European transit port remain subject to full PSIC testing, and arrival without a compliant test report results in consignment detention and demurrage pending rectification.

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Frequently asked
Does HSN 5211 20 30 require BIS certification?
No, bleached flannelette woven fabric is not covered by any BIS Quality Control Order. Import compliance is governed by the ITC (HS) policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, principally the azo-dye-testing requirement under General Note 10.
Which countries are exempt from the azo-dye testing requirement for this tariff line?
Imports originating from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom only are exempt, per DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023; all other origins must furnish a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate.
Does the azo-dye exemption apply to goods transshipped through an exempted country?
No. The exemption is based on country of origin, not country of export or transshipment; goods manufactured in a non-exempted country retain the full PSIC testing obligation regardless of the routing.
Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: DGFT / Indian Customs CUSDATA.
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