India has taken China off the list of nations whose textiles entering the country are free from azo dye testing – Azo dyes are mainly used in sectors like textile, fibre and leather. The list was amended by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), adding the UK, Canada, Australia, South Korea, and Japan while removing China.
“The list of countries exempted from testing for the presence of azo dyes in textiles and textiles articles is updated,” DGFT said in a public notice.
India imported textiles and its products worth US $ 925 million in FY ’23, and apparel worth US $ 240 million from China.
“Azo dyes are known to be hazardous to health and it’s a good move on health grounds. However, this is a non-tariff barrier which will add to the importers’ cost and lead to delays,” said an industry representative.
According to the representative, Beijing would likely push its cloth and products through Australia and other members of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), who are excluded from testing, as well as other FTA partners like Japan and South Korea.
