India’s textile and apparel (T&A) exports declined by 2.27 per cent in February 2025 compared to the same month last year, according to the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI). While textile exports dropped by 7.35 per cent, apparel exports recorded a 3.97 per cent growth.
In the April 2024–February 2025 period, cumulative T&A exports grew by 7.19 per cent compared to the previous year. Textile exports rose by 4.63 per cent, and apparel exports saw a sharper increase of 10.71 per cent.
Among textile segments, cotton yarn, fabrics, and made-ups fell by 4.41 per cent in February, while man-made textiles declined by 8.36 per cent. Handicrafts, excluding handmade carpets, saw the steepest drop of 28.17 per cent. In contrast, jute products and carpets showed double-digit growth of 12.40 per cent and 4.87 per cent, respectively.
Total textile exports in February stood at $1.68 billion, while apparel exports reached $1.53 billion. The combined T&A exports accounted for 8.71 per cent of India's total exports, up from 7.95 per cent in February 2024.
On the import front, raw cotton and waste imports surged by 217.72 per cent in February, reaching $99.86 million, while cumulative imports for April 2024–February 2025 more than doubled to $1.14 billion. Imports of textile yarn, fabrics, and made-ups rose by 6.38 per cent in February and 7.83 per cent over the 11-month period.
Despite overall challenges, the apparel sector maintained steady growth, while rising cotton imports indicate increased domestic demand. The performance of India's textile sector remains mixed amid global market fluctuations.
