Subheading · Chapter 32 · Section VI, Products of the chemical or allied industries

HS 3204 12Acid dyes, whether or not premetallised, and preparations based thereon,mordant dyes and preparations based thereon

Tanning or dyeing extracts; tannins and their derivatives; dyes, pigments and other colouring matter; paints and varnishes; putty and other mastics; inks › Synthetic organic colouring matter, whether or not chemically defined, preparations as specified in note 3 to this chapter based on synthetic organic colouring matter, synthetic organic products of a kind used as fluorescent brightening agents or as luminophores, whether or not chemically defined

Customs duty
7.5% to 10%
47 tariff items
GST now
18%
or 5% for some goods
Import policy
Free
Export policy
Free
Unit
kg
Duty in China
4.2%
On Indian goods
Search codesDuty abroadRates as on 19 Oct 2026

Codes under this subheading

47 codes. Duty and GST are set on the 8-digit tariff items; open the one that describes your goods.

Codes under this code
CodeDescriptionCustoms dutyGST nowUnit
3204 12 11Acid yellows10%18%kg
3204 12 12Acid oranges7.5%18%kg
3204 12 13Acid red7.5%18%kg
3204 12 14Acid violets7.5%18%kg
3204 12 15Acid blues7.5%18%kg
3204 12 16Acid greens7.5%18%kg
3204 12 17Acid brown7.5%18%kg
3204 12 18Acid blacks7.5%18%kg
3204 12 19Other7.5%18%kg
3204 12 21Acid green 17 (solacet fast green 2G)7.5%18%kg
3204 12 22Acid green 27 (carbolan green G)7.5%18%kg
3204 12 23Acid green 28 (carbolan brill green 5G)7.5%18%kg
3204 12 24Acid green 38 (alizarine cyanine green 3G)7.5%18%kg
3204 12 25Acid green 44 (alizarine cyanine green GWA)7.5%18%kg
3204 12 29Other7.5%18%kg
3204 12 31Acid black 2 (nigrosine)10%18%kg
3204 12 32Acid black 48 (coomasie fast grey 3G)10%18%kg
3204 12 39Other10%18%kg
3204 12 41Acid blue 2 (alizarine brill blue PFN)7.5%18%kg
3204 12 42Acid blue 14 (solacet fast blue 4 G1)7.5%18%kg
3204 12 43Acid blue 23 (alizarine light blue 4 G1)7.5%18%kg
3204 12 44Acid blue 25 (solway ultra blue B)7.5%18%kg
3204 12 45Acid blue 45 (solway blue RN)7.5%18%kg
3204 12 46Acid blue 51 (alizarine sky blue FFB]7.5%18%kg
3204 12 47Acid blue 52 (alizarine light - 5GL)7.5%18%kg
3204 12 48Acid blue 78 (solway sky blue B)7.5%18%kg
3204 12 51Acid blue 93 (ink blue)7.5%18%kg
3204 12 52Acid blue 112 (coomasie ultra sky SE)7.5%18%kg
3204 12 53Acid blue 127 (brill alizarine milling blue G)7.5%18%kg
3204 12 54Acid blue 138 (carbolan blue B)7.5%18%kg
3204 12 55Acid blue 140 (carbolan brill blue 2R)7.5%18%kg
3204 12 59Other7.5%18%kg
3204 12 61Yellows7.5%18%kg
3204 12 62Oranges7.5%18%kg
3204 12 63Violets7.5%18%kg
3204 12 64Blues7.5%18%kg
3204 12 65Greens7.5%18%kg
3204 12 66Browns7.5%18%kg
3204 12 67Blacks7.5%18%kg
3204 12 68Red II (alizarine red)7.5%18%kg
3204 12 69Other7.5%18%kg
3204 12 91Acid yellows7.5%18%kg
3204 12 92Acid oranges7.5%18%kg
3204 12 93Acid red7.5%18%kg
3204 12 94Acid violets7.5%18%kg
3204 12 95Acid browns7.5%18%kg
3204 12 99Other7.5%18%kg

Importing into India

Duty is set on each 8-digit tariff item: open one of the codes above. Basic customs duty across its 47 tariff items: 7.5% to 10%. The rules below cover this whole code.

Anti-dumping, countervailing and safeguard duty in force

  • Anti-dumping duty on goods from China: USD 271–389 per tonne, by origin and producer (until 21 Oct 2029). Sulphur Black. 21/2024-ADD
  • Anti-dumping duty on goods from China: USD 396.99–738.73 per tonne, by origin and producer (until 20 Dec 2026). Silicone Sealants excluding silicon sealants used in manufacturing of solar photovoltaic modules, and thermal power applications. 74/2021-ADD

Charged on top of the duty above, only on goods from the countries named.

Import policy (DGFT ITC(HS)) of its tariff items

  • Free: 47 tariff items

GST

IGST on imports is the GST rate. Rates changed on 22 September 2025.

  • Now 18%, or 5% for some goods.
  • Until 21 September 2025 18%, or 5% for some goods.
  • Change: Unchanged.

The rules that set it now

GST rate rules in force
NotificationGoodsRate
9/2025-Integrated Tax (Rate)Schedule II, S.No. 46Synthetic organic colouring matter, whether or not chemically defined; preparations as specified in Note 3 to this Chapter based on synthetic organic colouring matter; synthetic organic products of a kind used as fluorescent brightening agents or as luminophores, whether or not chemically defined18%
9/2025-Integrated Tax (Rate)Schedule I, S.No. 242Wattle extract, quebracho extract, chestnut extract5%

History

GST rate history
PeriodRateNotification
Until 21 Sep 20255% or 18%1/2017-Central Tax (Rate)
From 22 Sep 20255% or 18%9/2025-Integrated Tax (Rate)

Exporting from India

Export duty

Nil. The Second Schedule to the Customs Tariff Act does not list these goods, so no export duty is charged.

Duty drawback (All Industry Rates)

All Industry Rates of duty drawback under this heading
Drawback itemGoodsRateCap
3204Synthetic organic colouring matter, whether or not chemically defined; prepara-tions as specified in Note 3 to this Chapter based on synthetic organic colouring matter; synthetic organic products of a kind used as fluorescent brightening agents or as luminophores, whether or not chemically defined——
320401AZO Black Dix (Acid Black)3.1%Rs. 16 per Kg
320402Reactive dyes3.5%Rs. 27.1 per Kg
320403Pigment violet3.5%Rs. 142.3 per Kg
320404Yellow 3 (Food colouring agent, Sunset Yellow)3.5%Rs. 16.9 per Kg
320405Sulphur black(Sulphur based colouring matter)2.7%Rs. 8.2 per Kg
320406Solvent black (Solvent based colouring matter)1.3%—
320407Optical brightener (Optical whitening agent)3.5%Rs. 20.4 per Kg
320499Others1.2%—

Drawback items follow the 4-digit heading, not the 8-digit code: claim the one that describes your goods. Rates of notification 77/2023-Customs (N.T.) as amended, in force on 19 Oct 2026.

Export policy (DGFT ITC(HS) Schedule 2) of its tariff items

  • Free: 47 tariff items

What buyers pay abroad: import duty in the US, UK, EU and Australia for 3204 12, and China's below.

China: the same goods (3204 12)

China shares the first 6 digits with India and splits them into 10-digit codes of its own: 1 in force under 3204 12. Exporters see what China charges Indian goods; importers see the rebate and licences their Chinese supplier deals with.

China's tariff for these goods
China codeGoodsDuty on Indian goodsMFNImport VATExport rebateLicences
3204.12.00.00Acid dyes and preparations based thereon; mordant dyes and preparations based thereon酸性染料及制品、媒染染料及制品4.2%APTA rate, with an APTA certificate of origin6.5%13%0%ABRS
  • India is a member of the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA). With an APTA certificate of origin, Indian goods pay China's APTA rate where the line has one; China applies the lower of that and its provisional rate.
  • The export VAT rebate is what China refunds its own exporters. When China cuts it, Chinese export prices tend to rise.

Every Chinese code in full

3204.12.00Acid dyes, mordant dyes and preparations based thereon

3204.12.00.00Acid dyes and preparations based thereon; mordant dyes and preparations based thereon酸性染料及制品、媒染染料及制品

Including products based on acid dyes or mordant dyes, whether or not chemically defined包括以酸性染料或媒染染料为基本成分的制品,不论是否有化学定义

Unit
kg
MFN import duty
6.5%
Provisional import duty
None
General import duty
35%
Import VAT
13%
Consumption tax
0%
Export duty
0%
Provisional export duty
None
Export VAT rebate
0%
Updated by China
7 Sep 2026
Licences and certificates
  • AInbound goods clearance (inspection and quarantine)入境货物通关单
  • BOutbound goods clearance (inspection and quarantine)出境货物通关单
Inspection and quarantine
  • RImported food hygiene inspection进口食品卫生监督检验
  • SExported food hygiene inspection出口食品卫生监督检验
What the customs declaration must state
  • 0.Brand type品牌类型
  • 1.Export preferential status出口享惠情况
  • 2.Ingredient content成分含量
  • 3.Use用途
  • 4.Dyes, type to be specified (e.g. disperse, acid, basic dyes)染料须报明种类(分散染料、酸性染料、碱性染料等)
  • 5.Packing specifications包装规格
  • 6.Brand (Chinese or foreign names)品牌(中文或外文名称)
  • 7.Model型号
  • 8.GTIN
  • 9.CAS
  • 10.Other其他
China's agreement rates
ASEAN
0%
Chile
0%
Pakistan
0%
New Zealand
0%
Peru
0%
Costa Rica
0%
Switzerland
2.6%
Iceland
0%
Australia
0%
South Korea
0%
Georgia
0%
Mauritius
0%
Maldives
0%
Cambodia
0%
Nicaragua
0%
Ecuador
0%
Serbia
0%
Hong Kong
0%
Macao
0%
Asia-Pacific (APTA)
4.2%
RCEP rates
Australia
3.3%
Brunei
3.3%
Cambodia
3.3%
South Korea
3.3%
Laos
3.3%
Malaysia
3.3%
New Zealand
3.9%
Singapore
3.3%
Thailand
3.3%
Vietnam
3.3%
Japan
3.5%
Indonesia
3.3%
Philippines
3.3%
Myanmar
3.3%
CIQ codes
  • 3204120000302Acid dyes and preparations based thereon; mordant dyes and preparations based thereon (whether or not chemically defined) (food additives with no quarantine requirements)酸性染料及制品、媒染染料及制品(包括以酸性染料或媒染染料为基本成分的制品,不论是否有化学定义)(无检疫要求食品添加剂)
  • 3204120000303Acid dyes and preparations based thereon; mordant dyes and preparations based thereon (including preparations based on acid dyes or mordant dyes, whether or not chemically defined) (chemicals declared for industrial use only, not for food additives, no quarantine required)酸性染料及制品、媒染染料及制品(包括以酸性染料或媒染染料为基本成分的制品,不论是否有化学定义)(需申报仅用于工业用途不用于食品添加剂无检疫要求的化学品)

China's tariff as compiled by HS编码网 from China Customs, the State Council Tariff Commission and the State Taxation Administration. The Chinese is the original.

Nearby codes

Previous3204 11Disperse dyes and preparations based thereonOne level up3204Synthetic organic colouring matter, whether or not chemically defined, preparations as specified in note 3 to this chapter based on synthetic organic colouring matter, synthetic organic products of a kind used as fluorescent brightening agents or as luminophores, whether or not chemically definedNext3204 13Basic dyes and preparations based thereon

Sources

For information, not a customs ruling. Only notifications published in the Gazette have legal force; confirm the duty with your customs broker or ICEGATE before you price a deal.