India’s cotton yarn exports rise 0.4% in FY26: Textile Ministry
India’s cotton yarn, fabrics, made-ups and handloom exports posted a modest growth of 0.4 oer cent to Rs 1,02,399.7 crore in FY26, compared with Rs 1,02,002.8 crore in FY25, as per data released by the Ministry of Textiles. Man-made yarn, fabrics and made-ups exports grew by 3.6 per cent Y-o-Y to Rs 42,687.8 crore from Rs 41,196.0 crore. Among the value-added segments, handicrafts excluding handmade carpets recorded the sharpest growth among major categories, increasing 6.1% to Rs 15,855.1 crore from Rs 14,945.5 crore.
The government attributed part of the sector’s export momentum to continued policy support. The release states, export facilitation and remission measures remain in place, including the extension of the Rebate of State and Central Taxes and Levies (RoSCTL) Scheme and the RoDTEP Scheme beyond March 31, 2026.
Equally significant is the role of India’s trade agreements, which the ministry said made major progress during 2025-26 and carry important implications for textiles and apparel. The India–UK CETA was signed in July 2025, followed by the India-Oman CEPA in December 2025. The India-New Zealand FTA was announced on December 22, 2025, while the India-EU FTA was concluded on January 27, 2026.
Taken together, these developments are expected to improve preferential market access, reduce tariff disadvantages, strengthen supply-chain integration, and create fresh opportunities across textiles, apparel, handicrafts and technical textiles. The ministry said these agreements are also expected to support market diversification, export growth, investment, technology partnerships, and India’s deeper integration into global value chains.
These latest export numbers suggest, India’s textile sector is finding room to grow through a combination of product strength, expanding market reach and sustained policy backing, even as the global trade climate remains uneven, According to the ministry, this continued rise in textile exports, along with government support, underlines its commitment to strengthening the sector, promoting employment and advancing the goal of higher value-added exports.