Saree

Cotton sarees mixed with man-made fibres, plain weave

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5211 51 50 (Saree) is subject to the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), which requires a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate (PSIC) from an accredited laboratory certifying the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy. Consignments from non-exempt origins without a valid PSIC or Textile Committee test report are liable to detention at the port of import.

What this is

HSN code

5211 51 50

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
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 the Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute (CSRTI), certifying the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes before shipment.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
2
Confirm whether the country of origin qualifies for the azo-dye testing exemption. 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 submit the PSIC or TC/CSRTI test report at the bill of entry.
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 azo-dye exemption applies solely on the basis of a bilateral trade relationship rather than the specific list of nine exempt origins. Importers sourcing from a country not on that list who arrive without a PSIC face detention and ground rent accumulation while a retrospective test report is commissioned — a process that cannot be completed at the port. The exemption is country-of-origin specific, not country-of-export specific; transshipment through an exempt country does not extend the exemption.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5211 51 50 require BIS certification?

No, woven cotton sarees mixed with man-made fibres 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 the hazardous-azo-dye testing requirement under General Note 10 and DGFT Public Notice 14/2023.

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

Testing for azo dyes is exempted only for imports originating from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom; a PSIC or TC/CSRTI test report is mandatory for all other origins.

Can a test report from a domestic laboratory substitute for the PSIC at the bill of entry?

The CCR requires the PSIC to be from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country, or a valid test report from the Textile Committee or CSRTI; a domestic post-arrival report does not satisfy the pre-shipment requirement and will not cure a non-compliant consignment.

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