Bleached

Bleached woven fabrics of synthetic staple fibres mixed with man-made filaments

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5515 12 20 (Bleached woven fabrics of synthetic staple fibres mixed with man-made filaments) is subject to the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), which requires a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate certifying the absence of prohibited azo dyes under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy. An azo-dye testing exemption applies for imports originating from specified countries only.

What this is

HSN code

5515 12 20

Chapter

55 · Man-made staple fibres

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) import policy, General Note 10 (azo-dye testing), Chapter 55

Customs documentation

Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from accredited lab
Test report from Textile Committee
ITC (HS) policy compliance 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, certifying the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes. This requirement applies to all origins except those explicitly exempted 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
Confirm whether the country of origin qualifies for the azo-dye testing exemption. Exemption applies only to imports from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom; all other origins must furnish the azo-dye 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 testing exemption extends to all origins because the exporter is located in an exempt country's free-trade zone or ships through an exempt country's port. The exemption is tied strictly to the country of origin, not the country of export or transhipment; a consignment originating outside the nine listed countries but transshipped through, say, the EU remains subject to the full Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirement, and arrival without one will result in consignment detention pending documentation.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5515 12 20 require BIS certification?

No, woven fabrics of synthetic staple fibres 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, principally through the azo-dye testing and Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirement under General Note 10.

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

EU member states, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom are exempt per DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023; all other countries of origin must supply a valid azo-dye test report.

Does the azo-dye testing exemption cover all parameters on the Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate?

No. The exemption under General Note 10 covers azo-dye testing only; a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate addressing other composition or quality parameters required under the ITC (HS) policy remains mandatory regardless of the country of origin.

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