Some countries in South Asia and South-East Asia export readymade garments with preferential market access to some markets while depending on imported raw materials. The Indian textile sector is integrated, with a strong domestic raw-material base and manufacturing capability across the entire value chain. India’s export of textiles & apparel (including handicrafts) was US$ 37,755.0 Mn in FY 2024–25 exhibiting a growth of 5.2% compared to the previous year.
The Government is implementing various schemes/initiatives to boost the Indian textile and apparel sector and enhance its competitiveness. The major schemes/initiatives include PM Mega Integrated Textile Regions and Apparel (PM MITRA) Parks Scheme to create a modern, integrated, world class textile infrastructure; Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme focusing on MMF Fabric, MMF Apparel and Technical Textiles to boost large scale manufacturing and enhancing competitiveness; National Technical Textiles Mission focusing on Research Innovation & Development, Promotion and Market Development; SAMARTH – Scheme for Capacity Building in Textile Sector with the objective providing demand driven, placement oriented, skilling program; Silk Samagra-2 for comprehensive development of sericulture value chain; National Handloom Development Program for end to end support for handloom sector. Ministry of Textiles is also implementing National Handicrafts Development Programme and Comprehensive Handicrafts Cluster Development Scheme for promotion of handicrafts. The Government is also administering the two remission schemes of Rebate of State and Central Taxes and Levies (RoSCTL) for Apparel/Garments and Made- ups and the Remissions of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) Scheme for other textiles products.
The Government has also taken several measures recently to strengthen the textile sector, including extension of the Export Obligation period under the Advance Authorisation Scheme in respect of exemption from mandatory compliance of Quality Control Order (QCO) related cases under Textile Sector, revision of the PLI Scheme for MMF Apparel, MMF Fabrics and Technical Textiles to ease entry and investment norms, exemption of import duty on cotton up to 31.12.2025, rationalisation of GST rates across the value chain.
The Government aims for promotion of Export Diversification with identification of 40 focus markets for the textiles sector. It has also signed 15 Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and 6 Preferential Trade Agreements (PTAs) with its trading partners. In addition, the government has approved the Export Promotion Mission being implemented through NIRYAT PROTSAHAN and NIRYAT DISHA for trade finance, market access, branding and compliance and Credit Guarantee Scheme for Exporters providing 100% credit guarantee particularly benefitting MSMEs. All these measures are boosting the competitiveness of Indian Textile Industry.
