The India–US trade agreement reducing tariffs to 18 per cent is set to boost export competitiveness across textiles, seafood, leather and gems and jewellery, while improving order visibility and supporting a recovery in labour-intensive sectors.
The Centre has proposed a five-part integrated programme, with Rs 1,500 crore allocation designed to boost self-reliance in fibres, upgrade manufacturing ecosystems and strengthen traditional crafts
Citi has urged the government to permanently abolish the 11 per cent import duty on cotton in the Union Budget 2026, warning that higher input costs and global competition could hurt the competitiveness of Indian textile and apparel exporters.
In an interview, Suketu Shah notes that growth and margin expansion can go hand in hand when backed by execution discipline, cost control and sustained demand across global markets
Centre says that several key segments recorded notable growth during November 2025, with readymade garments (RMG) growing 11.3 per cent
Raymond Lifestyle Q2 income up 8% to ₹1,865 crore, driven by strong domestic sales; exporthit by US tariff challenges.
However, most high-rated entities with a high US exposure have comfortable liquidity and leverage headroom to manage any immediate pressure
With rates rationalised and inverted duty structures corrected, apparel and footwear players eye stronger demand and sharper pricing
The report says that higher discounts and front-loading of exports led to higher costs (transport and packaging), which also affected margins
The association says that keeping textile products along with products like electronics, mobile phones under the same GST slab would not be consistent from an overall economic rationale
