Cotton
Cotton in its primary forms
BIS QCO · 12/430 LINES · 1 STANDARDS · ISI MARK
HSN Chapter 52 covers cotton in its primary forms — raw cotton not carded or combed (heading 5201) and cotton that has been carded or combed (heading 5203). The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has notified 12 tariff lines within this chapter, covering Indian and imported cotton across the full staple-length grid from below 20.0 mm to above 34.5 mm, and the converted form of carded or combed cotton under heading 5203.
A single Indian Standard governs the entire chapter: IS 12171, which specifies grade designations, moisture, trash content and fibre-quality parameters for cotton bales offered for trade in India. All 12 notified codes route through the ISI Mark Scheme under Scheme-I of Schedule-II of the BIS Conformity Assessment Regulations, 2018. Indian ginning and pressing factories supplying baled cotton must hold a CM/L licence against IS 12171; foreign manufacturers shipping cotton bales into India must obtain a licence under the Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme (FMCS) and appoint an Authorised Indian Representative (AIR).
430
Tariff lines (8-digit HSN)
12
BIS QCO notified (3% coverage)
1
Indian Standards in chapter
5201Cotton, Not Carded Or Combed11 lines · 11 BIS5202Cotton Waste (Including Yarn Waste And Garnetted Stock)3 lines5203—1 lines · 1 BIS5204Cotton Sewing Thread, Whether Or Not Putup For Retail Sale11 lines5205Cotton Yarn (Other Than Sewing Thread), Containing 85% Or More By Weight Of Cotton, Not Put Up For Retail Sale83 lines5206Cotton Yarn (Other Than Sewing Thread), Containing Less Than 85% By Weight Of Cotton, Not Put Up For Retail Sale20 lines5207Cotton Yarn (Other Than Sewing Thread) Put Up For Retail Sale2 lines5208Woven Fabrics Of Cotton, Containing 85% Or More By Weight Of Cotton, Weighing Not More Than 200 G/M2111 lines5209Woven Fabrics Of Cotton, Containing 85% Or More By Weight Of Cotton, Weighing More Than 200 G/M276 lines5210Woven Fabrics Of Cotton, Containing Less Than 85% Byweight Of Cotton, Mixed Mainly Or Solely With Man-Made Fibres, Weighing Not More Than…44 lines5211Woven Fabrics Of Cotton, Containing Less Than 85% By Weight Of Cotton, Mixed Mainly Or Solely With Man-Made Fibres, Weighing More Than 20…58 lines5212Other Woven Fabrics Of Cotton10 lines Need a regulatory steer on this product?Speak to a regulatory counsel about your specific HSN, IS, and supplier situation.
Speak to an Expert → Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: BIS / DGFT / Indian Customs CUSDATA.
