Textile and Apparel Exports Show Resilience Amid Global Slowdown, Grow for Second Consecutive Month

Exports recorded positive growth for the second consecutive month, with shipments in December 2025 rising by 0.40% year-on-year to USD 3.27 billion, following robust growth in November 2025.

India’s Textile and Apparel (T&A) exports have demonstrated sustained resilience and steady growth despite a subdued global trade environment, underlining the sector’s structural strength, adaptability, and diversified market presence.

Exports recorded positive growth for the second consecutive month, with shipments in December 2025 rising by 0.40% year-on-year to USD 3.27 billion, following robust growth in November 2025. The performance reflects India’s competitive edge in value-added manufacturing, labour-intensive segments, and traditional crafts, even as global demand remains volatile.

Broad-Based Growth Across Key Segments

Export growth in December 2025 was broad-based, led by strong performance in major value-added segments:

• Handicrafts: 7.2% growth

• Ready-Made Garments (RMG): 2.89% growth

• Man-Made Fibre (MMF) yarn, fabrics and made-ups: 3.99% growth

These trends highlight India’s strength in employment-intensive manufacturing and higher-value product segments, which continue to support export momentum amid challenging international conditions.

Stable Annual Performance in 2025

On a calendar-year basis (January–December 2025), India’s textile and apparel exports remained stable at USD 37.54 billion. Notably, cumulative growth was recorded in:

• Handicrafts: 17.5%

• Ready-Made Garments: 3.5%

• Jute products: 3.5%

Maintaining stability at this scale, despite geopolitical tensions, inflationary pressures, and weak consumer demand in key markets, underscores the sector’s resilience and the benefits of a diversified export basket.

Market Diversification Strengthens Export Resilience

A key highlight of 2025 has been significant market diversification. During January–November 2025, India’s textile exports registered growth across 118 countries and export destinations compared to the same period in 2024.

Strong expansion was recorded in both emerging and traditional markets, including:

• United Arab Emirates: 9.5%

• Egypt: 29.1%

• Poland: 19.3%

• Sudan: 182.9%

• Japan: 14.6%

• Nigeria: 20.5%

• Argentina: 77.8%

• Cameroon: 152.9%

• Uganda: 75.7%

Steady growth was also observed in key European markets, including Spain (7.9%), France, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

This diversified growth pattern has reduced dependence on a limited set of markets and strengthened India’s global export footprint.

Policy Support and Outlook

The positive export performance is being reinforced by a coherent policy framework focused on enhancing competitiveness, value addition, MSME participation, and market expansion. Continued emphasis on diversification, infrastructure development, and integration into global value chains is expected to support further growth.

Overall, the sustained export momentum, widening market presence, and strong performance of value-added segments reaffirm India’s position as a reliable and resilient global sourcing hub for textiles and apparel. With global demand expected to stabilise gradually, the sector is well-positioned to scale up exports and deepen its integration with global value chains in the period ahead.