CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu’s textile and apparel exports have recorded a 3.3% growth in the current financial year so far, even as India navigates evolving tariff changes under the newly announced India-US trade arrangement.
The union government on Tuesday said the state, one of the country’s largest textile hubs, mirrors the national export growth trend between April 2025 and January 2026 despite global trade uncertainties.
Responding to a starred question raised by DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran in the Lok Sabha, Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh said the centre is closely monitoring the impact of the trade arrangement and remains in consultation with exporters, industry bodies and other stakeholders, including those from Tamil Nadu.
The minister said tariff pressures have eased following the February 2026 trade understanding between India and the United States. A 25% additional tariff imposed earlier by the US on certain Indian exports, linked to India’s import of Russian oil, has been withdrawn. Further, reciprocal tariffs are no longer in force after a ruling by the US Supreme Court struck them down.
At the same time, the US has imposed a 10% tariff on certain products from all countries through executive orders, and the government is studying its implications for Indian exports.
To safeguard employment and competitiveness in labour-intensive textile clusters, the government said it is implementing multiple schemes, including PM MITRA Parks, the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, and SAMARTH for skill development. Export-oriented measures such as RoSCTL and RoDTEP are also in place to support the sector.
The centre also highlighted efforts to diversify markets through free trade agreements, noting that India has signed 16 FTAs and concluded negotiations with the European Union and New Zealand.