Shirting fabrics

Cotton shirting fabrics mixed with man-made fibres, plain weave

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5211 31 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 (PSIC) from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Schedule. The PSIC must certify the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes, with a country-specific exemption applicable to nine named origins.

What this is

HSN code

5211 31 10

Chapter

52 · Cotton

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) import policy, General Note 10 (hazardous dyes)

Customs documentation

Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from accredited lab
Test report from Textile Committee or CSRTI
ITC (HS) policy 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 (TC) or Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute (CSRTI), certifying the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes before the consignment is shipped.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
2
If the exporting country is the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, or the United Kingdom, the azo-dye testing requirement is waived; however, confirm this exemption applies at the bill-of-entry stage and retain documentation of origin for customs verification.
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 the country-of-origin exemption from azo-dye testing also dispenses with any PSIC requirement on other hazardous-dye parameters. The exemption under General Note 10 covers azo-dye testing only for the nine listed countries; a PSIC addressing other prohibited dye categories may still be required, and absent documentation triggers consignment detention and ground rent at the port of import pending re-submission.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5211 31 10 require BIS certification?

No, woven cotton shirting fabrics are outside the BIS Quality Control Order regime; no BIS QCO covers this product family. Import is governed by the ITC (HS) policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, principally through the General Note 10 Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirement for hazardous dye absence.

Which laboratories are accepted for the Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate?

The PSIC must be issued by an accredited laboratory of the exporting country, or by the Textile Committee (TC) or CSRTI in India, per General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy and DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023.

Does the azo-dye exemption apply to all countries equally?

No. Testing for azo dyes is exempted only for imports from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom; consignments from all other origins must carry a PSIC confirming azo-dye absence.

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