Of cotton

Cotton sacks and bags for packing goods

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 6305 20 00 (Of cotton) is subject to the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), which requires a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate (PSIC) covering the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes under General Note 10. Imports from origins outside the designated exempt countries must supply a PSIC from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country or a valid test report from the Textile Committee or CSRTI.

What this is

HSN code

6305 20 00

Chapter

63 · Other made-up textile articles; sets; worn clothing and rags

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) import policy, General Note 10, Chapter 63

Customs documentation

Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from accredited lab
Test report from Textile Committee or CSRTI
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 the Textile Committee (TC) or the Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute (CSRTI), certifying the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes before shipment.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
2
Verify the origin of the consignment against the exempt-country list — EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and United Kingdom — before procuring the PSIC. Imports from all other origins are not exempt from azo-dye testing, and absence of the certificate at the bill of entry exposes the consignment to detention.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023

A word of counsel

The most frequent error on this tariff line is assuming that the azo-dye exemption extends to all origins with credible textile-testing infrastructure; it does not. The exemption list is closed — EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom only — and a PSIC or TC/CSRTI test report remains mandatory for every other origin, regardless of the exporting country's domestic standards. Filing a bill of entry without the PSIC for a non-exempt origin results in consignment detention pending document cure.

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 6305 20 00 require BIS certification?

No, cotton sacks and bags for packing goods are not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, with a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirement for azo-dye absence under General Note 10.

Is the PSIC requirement waived for imports from the European Union?

Yes, testing for the presence of azo dyes is exempted for imports from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom only, per DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023; the exemption does not extend to any other origin.

Which laboratories are authorised to issue the Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate for this tariff line?

The PSIC must be issued by an accredited laboratory of the exporting country; alternatively, a valid test report from the Textile Committee (TC) or CSRTI is accepted as equivalent for bill-of-entry purposes under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy.

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