Bleached

Bleached woven fabrics of flax

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5309 11 20 (Bleached woven fabrics of flax) is subject to ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), under which imports of textile articles require a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate certifying the absence of prohibited azo dyes. Azo-dye testing is exempted only for imports originating from specified countries under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy.

What this is

HSN code

5309 11 20

Chapter

53 · Other vegetable textile fibres; paper yarn and woven fabrics of paper yarn

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) import policy, General Note 10, Chapter 53

Customs documentation

Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from exporter
Azo-dye test report from accredited laboratory
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 a Textile Committee or CSRTI laboratory, confirming the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes. This requirement applies to all origins not listed as exempt under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
2
Verify whether the country of origin qualifies for the azo-dye testing exemption. Only imports from EU member states, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom are exempt; consignments from all other origins must carry the full azo-dye test certificate 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 that the azo-dye testing exemption is blanket for all developed-country origins. The exemption is a closed list — EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom only. A consignment from any other origin, including countries with equivalent regulatory standards, arriving without a valid azo-dye test certificate will be detained at the port of import pending documentary compliance.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5309 11 20 require BIS certification?

No, bleached woven fabrics of flax are not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by the ITC (HS) import 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 testing requirement for this tariff line?

EU member states, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom only, per DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14 June 2023; all other origins must provide an azo-dye test certificate from an accredited laboratory.

Does the azo-dye exemption for listed countries waive all pre-shipment inspection requirements?

No. The exemption covers azo-dye testing specifically; any other applicable pre-shipment inspection or composition testing requirements under General Note 10 continue to apply regardless of country of origin.

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