Varnished cambric fabrics (Empire fabrics) Tapes

Varnished cambric fabrics (Empire fabrics) tapes

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5901 90 20 (Varnished cambric fabrics — Empire fabrics — Tapes) is subject to import controls administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy. A Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate certifying the absence of prohibited azo dyes is mandatory for all origins except a specified list of exempt countries.

What this is

HSN code

5901 90 20

Chapter

59 · Impregnated, coated, covered or laminated textile fabrics; textile articles for industrial use

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) Import Policy, General Note 10 (azo-dye prohibition), Chapter 59

Customs documentation

Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from accredited lab
Test report from Textile Committee or CSRTI
ITC (HS) policy compliance declaration from DGFT

Compliance steps

1
Obtain a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate (PSIC) 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 document must accompany the bill of entry for all non-exempt origins.
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 dispatch: azo-dye testing is waived only for imports from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. Consignments from all other origins without a valid PSIC 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 the country-of-origin exemption from azo-dye testing also waives the PSIC requirement in its entirety. The exemption covers azo-dye testing specifically; other prohibited-dye parameters under General Note 10 remain subject to verification, and a consignment from an exempt country that arrives without any inspection documentation may still be held pending officer satisfaction that no other hazardous dye condition is triggered.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5901 90 20 require BIS certification?

No, varnished cambric fabrics are not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy, which mandates a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate covering the absence of prohibited hazardous dyes.

Which countries are exempt from the azo-dye PSIC requirement?

Per DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023, azo-dye testing is exempted for imports from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom only; all other origins must furnish a PSIC from an accredited laboratory.

Can a Textile Committee test report substitute for the accredited-lab PSIC?

Yes. A valid test report from a Textile Committee (TC) or Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute (CSRTI) laboratory is an accepted substitute for the PSIC from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country, per General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy.

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