Apparel Slump Keeps Textile Exports Flat In June
India’s textile and apparel exports remained almost flat in June 2026, as strong growth in textile shipments was offset by a sharp decline in apparel exports, according to an analysis by the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI).
The CITI Analysis of Exports and Imports of Textile and Apparel for June 2026 showed that textile exports grew 9.64 percent year-on-year during the month, while apparel exports declined 11.25 percent.
As a result, India’s combined textile and apparel exports stood at US$ 2.91 billion in June 2026, registering marginal growth of just 0.21 percent compared with the same month last year.
The overall trend remained weak during the first quarter of FY27. Between April and June 2026, textile exports grew 5.19 percent year-on-year, while apparel exports declined 12.44 percent. Consequently, cumulative textile and apparel exports fell 2.95 percent to US$8.81 billion, compared with US$ 9.08 billion during the corresponding period of the previous year.
Within the textile segment, handicrafts excluding handmade carpets recorded the strongest growth in June, with exports rising 59.7 percent year-on-year to US$ 208.31 million.
Exports of cotton yarn, fabrics, made-ups and handloom products increased 8.82 percent to US$ 1.01 billion, while exports of man-made yarn, fabrics and made-ups grew 2.83 percent. However, exports of jute manufactured products declined 29.07 percent, while carpet exports fell 5.82 percent during the month.
The sector’s contribution to India’s overall merchandise exports also declined. Textiles and apparel accounted for 7.19 percent of total merchandise exports in June 2026, compared with 8.30 percent a year earlier. During April-June, the sector’s share fell to 6.82 percent from 8.14 percent in the corresponding period of the previous year.
On the import front, India’s imports of raw cotton and cotton waste surged 151.02 percent year-on-year in June to US$ 185.08 million. Imports of textile yarn, fabrics and made-ups also increased 4.93 percent to US$ 216.32 million, according to the CITI analysis based on data from the Ministry of Commerce.
