Of cotton
Made-up cotton nets, knotted netting and cotton agro-textile nets
HSN 5608 90 10 (made-up nets of cotton) is covered by Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Orders spanning two distinct regimes: the Agro Textiles (Quality Control) Order, 2023 and the Ropes and Cordages Quality Control Order, 2024. The applicable Indian Standard depends on the specific net type — insect nets, windshield nets, harvest nets, fencing nets, and plant support nets fall under IS 16513:2016 or IS 17356–17358/17513 from 01 July 2024, while cordage-class products attract IS 1084 and allied standards from 01 April 2025. Directorate General of Foreign Trade policy controls, including Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirements for textile imports, apply as separate customs-clearance overlays.
Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade.
- 1Identify the specific net type before procurement and map it to the correct Indian Standard: IS 16513:2016 (insect nets), IS 17356:2020 (windshield nets), IS 17357:2020 (harvest nets), IS 17358 Part 1 or Part 2:2020 (fencing nets), IS 17513:2020 (plant support nets), or IS 1084 and allied standards for cordage-class products. A mismatch between the declared net type and the licensed IS triggers detention at port.Agro Textiles (Quality Control) Order, 2023 · S.O. 4248(E) dated 27-09-2023 · S.O. 1579(E) dated 28-03-2024 · Ropes and Cordages QCO 2024 · S.O. 4327(E) dated 03-10-2024
- 2Verify the foreign supplier's BIS CM/L licence number against the applicable Indian Standard on the BIS online register. Confirm the licensed scope covers the specific net construction, fibre type, and manufacturing facility before placing the purchase order.Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · S.O. 4248(E) dated 27-09-2023 · S.O. 4327(E) dated 03-10-2024
- 3Ensure every unit bears the ISI mark and the supplier's CM/L number under licence per Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. Marking must appear on the product or its attached label, not on outer packaging alone.BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · Agro Textiles (Quality Control) Order, 2023 · Ropes and Cordages QCO 2024
- 4Obtain a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country, or a valid test report from TC or CSRTI, certifying absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes. Imports from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom are exempt from azo dye testing.General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
- 5If the consignment originates in Bangladesh and consists of twine, cordage, or rope products, import must route exclusively through Nhava Sheva seaport; land ports on the India–Bangladesh border are not permitted. Verify port restrictions before shipment booking.DGFT Notification 21/25-26 dated 27-06-2025 · DGFT Notification 07/25-26 dated 17-05-2025 · DGFT Notification 24/2025-26 dated 11-08-2025 · General Note para 19(1) of the ITC (HS) Import Policy
The single most common error on this tariff line is treating HSN 5608 90 10 as subject to a single BIS obligation, when in practice two separate Quality Control Orders operate concurrently — the Agro Textiles QCO for functional agro-nets and the Ropes and Cordages QCO for cordage-class constructions — each with its own set of Indian Standards, enforcement dates, and CM/L scope requirements. An importer who obtains a CM/L only for one QCO but ships product falling under the other faces detention on the uncovered portion regardless of the first licence's validity.