Import duty on unbleached polyester-cotton woven fabric from Dubai (UAE) to India
HS 55131110 · Dubai / UAE → India · WOVEN FABRICS OF SYNTHETIC STAPLE FIBRES
Data last updated: · MFN duty & IGST verified against ICEGATE (Indian Customs EDI). CEPA preferential rate per the India–UAE CEPA schedule. Verify your exact HS line before filing.
Duty breakdown on a ₹10,00,000 shipment
Enter your own value to recalculate the table below.
| Component | Standard (MFN) | CEPA |
|---|---|---|
| Basic customs duty | ₹2,00,000 | ₹0 |
| Social Welfare Surcharge | ₹20,000 | ₹0 |
| IGST | ₹61,000 | ₹50,000 |
| Total duty | ₹2,81,000 | ₹50,000 |
CEPA duty saving on this example: ₹2,31,000 . Run your own numbers in the import-duty estimator. New to BCD, SWS and IGST? See the glossary.
What drives the rate
Importing unbleached polyester-cotton woven fabric (HS 55131110) from the UAE to India attracts a 20% MFN basic customs duty, and the India–UAE CEPA preferential rate is 0%. Unbleached woven fabric of polyester staple blended mainly with cotton carries a basic customs duty that CEPA removes entirely. Heading 5513 is defined by three tests at once — synthetic staple under 85% by weight, mixed mainly with cotton, and weight not over 170 g/m² — and getting any of them wrong moves the goods to a different code, which invalidates a Certificate of Origin naming this line even where the rate would not change. IGST is 5%. Origin requires a sub-heading change plus 40% value addition, so UAE weaving qualifies while bleaching or dyeing imported greige cloth generally does not confer origin on its own. Keep the blend analysis and fabric weight test with the entry, since both are measurable facts an assessor can check. India's schedule (Annex 2A, modality TEI) took this line to zero in the agreement's first year, 2022, so the preference is fully phased in and nothing further changes. The preference is worth 22% of assessable value on every consignment — the 20-point basic-duty gap plus the 10% Social Welfare Surcharge that rides on it — so it scales with shipment size rather than with effort, and the Certificate of Origin costs the same either way. Social Welfare Surcharge adds 10% on the basic duty, not on the goods, and IGST of 5% then applies to the CIF + BCD + SWS total — IGST is recoverable as input tax credit, so the durable benefit is the basic duty alone. Confirm the live rate on ICEGATE before filing; ₹10,00,000 is only the worked example above.
Import compliance & clearances
Beyond duty, importing unbleached polyester-cotton woven fabric (HS 55131110) into India requires the following regulatory clearances. The CEPA preferential rate does not waive any of these — they apply regardless of origin.
- DGFT Valid IEC (Importer-Exporter Code) required; ITC(HS) import policy: Free source ↗
- DGFT / Textiles Committee Textiles must be free of the banned amines listed for azo dyes; a test report from a recognised laboratory is required, and consignments are sampled at the port. source ↗
Indicative and non-exhaustive — verify the current DGFT / BIS / FSSAI / CDSCO notification for your exact 8-digit HS line before importing. Not customs or legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the import duty on unbleached polyester-cotton woven fabric from the UAE to India?
- The standard MFN basic customs duty is 20%; under India–UAE CEPA the preferential rate is 0%. SWS adds 10% on the basic duty and 5% IGST applies on the CIF + BCD + SWS base.
- How much can CEPA save on unbleached polyester-cotton woven fabric?
- On a CIF value of ₹10,00,000, total duty falls from ₹2,81,000 (MFN) to ₹50,000 (CEPA) — about ₹2,31,000 saved per shipment, scaling with consignment value.
- What do I need to claim the CEPA rate on unbleached polyester-cotton woven fabric?
- A valid preferential Certificate of Origin (eCoO 2.0) proving UAE origin under the Rules of Origin. Without it, customs charges the 20% MFN rate.