India's Textile and Apparel Exports Surpass ₹3.25 Lakh Crore in 2025‑26
Delhi, July 28 – India’s combined textile and apparel export basket, including handicrafts, rose from ₹2,97,004 crore in fiscal 2023‑24 to an estimated ₹3,25,339 crore for the 2025‑26 period. The growth reflects a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.7% over the two‑year span. Parliamentarians were briefed on the figures during a recent session.
The Ministry of Textiles indicated that the United States, Bangladesh, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and Germany continued to dominate as the top five destinations for Indian fabrics and garments. More than 100 new markets registered higher shipment volumes compared with the previous fiscal year.
Officials stressed that the government maintains continuous monitoring of export performance, collaborating with manufacturers, exporters and other stakeholders to mitigate challenges and sharpen competitiveness. A suite of policy measures – from the PM Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel (PM‑MITRA) parks to Production‑Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes, the National Technical Textiles Mission, and dedicated credit guarantee programmes – are credited with sustaining the upward trend.
In addition, a strategic export‑promotion and market‑diversification plan now targets forty priority countries. India currently enjoys sixteen active Free Trade Agreements, including the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with the United Kingdom, and upcoming accords with the European Union and New Zealand that promise fresh avenues for textile and apparel exporters.
To offset shipping disruptions linked to conflicts in West Asia and the Gulf, the Export Promotion Mission rolled out a relief initiative on March 19, 2026. Further, customs duties on cotton imports have been temporarily waived from June 1 to October 31, 2026, aimed at bolstering raw‑material availability for domestic manufacturers. Looking ahead, the Mission for Cotton Productivity, approved for 2026‑27 to 2030‑31, seeks to lift productivity constraints, improve quality and drive sectoral growth.