By Our Correspondent
NEW DELHI:India’s textile sector continued to demonstrate resilience in global markets during FY 2025–26. Total textile exports, including handicrafts, increased from ₹3,09,859.3 crore in FY 2024–25 to ₹3,16,334.9 crore in FY 2025–26, registering a growth of 2.1%. This performance reflects steady global demand for Indian textile products and the continued competitiveness of the sector across major product categories.
Among the major segments, Ready-Made Garments (RMG) of all textiles remained the largest contributor to textile exports, rising from ₹1,35,427.6 crore to ₹1,39,349.6 crore, an increase of 2.9%. Cotton yarn, fabrics, made-ups and handloom products recorded exports of ₹1,02,399.7 crore in FY 2025–26 as against ₹1,02,002.8 crore in FY 2024–25, reflecting stable growth of 0.4%. Man-made yarn, fabrics and made-ups posted a stronger growth of 3.6%, with exports increasing from ₹41,196.0 crore to ₹42,687.8 crore.
Among value-added segments, handicrafts excluding handmade carpets recorded the highest growth among major categories, rising by 6.1% from ₹14,945.5 crore to ₹15,855.1 crore.
Export growth was registered in more than 120 destinations during April 2025 to February 2026 over the corresponding period of the previous year, indicating broad-based geographical expansion in India’s textile export basket. A notable growth has been observed in key markets such as UAE (22.3%), UK (7.8%), Germany (9.9%), Spain (15.5%), Japan (20.6%), Egypt (38.3%), Nigeria (21.4%), Senegal (54.4%), and Sudan (205.6%) etc
The Government has continued to support the sector through key export facilitation and remission measures, including the extension of the Rebate of State and Central Taxes and Levies (RoSCTL) Scheme and the RoDTEP Scheme beyond 31.03.2026.
India’s FTA agenda also saw major progress during 2025–26, with important implications for the textile and apparel sector. The India–EFTA TEPA entered into force on 1 October 2025; the India–UK CETA was signed in July 2025; the India–Oman CEPA in December 2025; the India–New Zealand FTA was announced on 22 December 2025; and the India–EU FTA was concluded on 27 January 2026. Collectively, these FTA developments are expected to improve preferential market access, reduce tariff disadvantages, support supply-chain integration, and open new opportunities for textiles, apparel, handicrafts and technical textiles, thereby aiding market diversification, export growth, investment, technology partnerships, and India’s deeper integration into global value chains.
The continued growth in textile exports, coupled with sustained policy support, underlines the Government’s commitment to strengthening the sector, promoting employment, and advancing the goal of higher value-added exports.
