India on Wednesday eliminated China from the list of countries exempted from azo dye testing for their textiles upon entry into the country.In an update by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), the list of countries exempted from azo dye testing for textiles entering India was revised.
The revised list includes the addition of the UK, Canada, Australia, South Korea, and Japan, while China has been removed from the list. India imported textiles and its products worth USD 925 million in FY23, and apparel worth USD 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. As per the representative, Beijing is expected to push its textile and products through its foreign trade agreement partners such as Japan and South Korea, and those in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership such as Australia, which are exempt from testing.
