Bleached

Bleached woven fabrics of flax

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5309 21 20 (Bleached woven fabrics of flax) is subject to the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), which requires a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate confirming the absence of prohibited azo dyes under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy. Imports from countries outside the exempted list must obtain this certificate from an accredited laboratory in the exporting country.

What this is

HSN code

5309 21 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 (azo-dye testing), Chapter 53

Customs documentation

Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from exporter
Azo-dye test report from accredited laboratory

Compliance steps

1
Obtain a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country confirming the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes. This requirement applies to all origins except the 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 before filing the bill of entry. Consignments from non-exempt origins arriving without a current azo-dye clearance 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

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is assuming that the azo-dye exemption applies universally because the fabric is a standard commodity. The exemption is origin-specific: only imports from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom are exempt. Consignments from any other origin — including major linen-producing countries not on the list — that arrive without an azo-dye test report face detention and ground rent while documentation is procured retrospectively.

Need a regulatory steer on this product?

Speak to a regulatory counsel about your specific HSN, IS, and supplier situation.

Speak to an Expert

Frequently asked

Does HSN 5309 21 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) policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, with an azo-dye Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirement under General Note 10.

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

The EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom are exempt per General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy and DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023; all other origins must supply an accredited laboratory test report.

Does the azo-dye exemption for listed countries cover all testing parameters, or only azo-dye testing?

The exemption under General Note 10 covers azo-dye testing only; other applicable textile-quality or composition parameters remain subject to the standard PSIC requirement regardless of the country of origin.

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