Of synthetic staple fibres

Sewing thread of synthetic staple fibres

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5508 10 00 (Sewing thread of synthetic staple fibres) is subject to 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. The azo-dye testing requirement is exempted only for imports originating from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom.

What this is

HSN code

5508 10 00

Chapter

55 · Man-made staple fibres

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) import policy, General Note 10 — hazardous dye compliance, Chapter 55

Customs documentation

Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from accredited lab
Test report from Textile Committee or CSRTI
Import 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 dyes before dispatch. This requirement applies to all origins except the exempt countries listed under General Note 10.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
2
Confirm the country of origin before filing the bill of entry: azo-dye testing is waived only for imports from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. For all other origins, the PSIC or TC/CSRTI test report is mandatory and must be available at customs examination.
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 extends to goods transshipped through an exempt country when the manufacturing origin is non-exempt. The PSIC obligation is determined by the country of manufacture, not the country of export or transshipment; a consignment manufactured in a non-exempt country but shipped via an EU hub remains subject to the full azo-dye testing requirement, and absence of the PSIC at the bill of entry will result in detention pending production of the test report.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5508 10 00 require BIS certification?

No, sewing thread of synthetic staple fibres is not covered by any BIS Quality Control Order. Import is governed by the ITC (HS) policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, specifically the hazardous-dye compliance requirement under General Note 10 and DGFT Public Notice 14/2023.

Which laboratories are authorised to issue the PSIC for azo-dye testing?

The certificate must come from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country, or alternatively a valid test report from the Textile Committee or the Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute (CSRTI) is accepted per General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy.

Does the azo-dye testing exemption apply if the goods are only passing through an exempt country?

No. The exemption under General Note 10 is origin-based; goods manufactured in a non-exempt country retain the PSIC requirement regardless of the port or country through which they are exported or transshipped to India.

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