CHENNAI: Exports of textiles and apparel contracted 12.91% from $3,061.54 million in October 2024 to $2,666.41 million in October 2025, primarily driven due to high tariffs on exports of apparel products from India at over 60 percent. This is the steepest slide the export of textile and apparel has witnessed ever since the announcement of the US tariff.
According to the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) data, the value of export of textile fell from $1,833.96 million in October 2024 to $1,596.99 million and in apparel, the export value dipped from $1,227.58 million to $1,069.42 million, registering a decline of 12.92 percent and 12.88%, respectively.
Indian carpets, which has the biggest market in the US, contracted 15.80 percent from $146.79 million in October 2024 to $123.59 million. Man-made yarn, fabrics and made-ups also registered 11.75 percent contraction from $438.01 million to $386.53 million. Whereas, the export of cotton yarn, fabrics, made-ups, handloom products, etc. fell by 13.31 percent from $1,045.67 million to $906.48 million in October 2025.
Cumulative exports of textiles and apparel during April to October 2025 have registered a de-growth of 1.57 percent as compared to April to October 2024.
Cumulative exports of all commodities fell by 11.82 percent from 38,983.08 million in October 2024 to $34,375.16 million in October 2025. On the other hand, the import value of cotton raw & waste grew from $127.70 million to $234.02 million, a rise of 83.26 percent.
“India’s textile and apparel sector eagerly looks forward to an India-US trade deal at the earliest, besides the swift implementation of the export package approved by the Union Cabinet on November 12 and the inclusion of the entire textile and apparel value chain in the list of sectors eligible for the Reserve Bank of India’s trade relief measures,” Confederation of Indian Textile Industry Chairman Ashwin Chandran said.