India’s textile and apparel exports have maintained a steady growth trajectory despite a subdued global trade environment, reflecting the sector’s resilience, diversified market reach, and focus on value-added manufacturing, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Textiles on Thursday.
Official data show that textile and apparel exports rose by 0.40 per cent in December 2025 compared to the same month in 2024, reaching USD 3.27 billion. This marked the second consecutive month of positive growth, following a stronger performance recorded in November 2025.
The growth during December was broad-based, with key segments such as handicrafts, ready-made garments, and man-made fibre yarn, fabrics, and made-ups posting notable gains. Handicrafts exports grew by 7.2 per cent, ready-made garments by 2.89 per cent, and MMF products by 3.99 per cent, underlining India’s competitive edge in labour-intensive and value-added segments even amid volatile global demand.
On a calendar-year basis, India’s textile and apparel exports for January to December 2025 remained stable at USD 37.54 billion. The period saw cumulative growth in several categories, including handicrafts at 17.5 per cent, ready-made garments at 3.5 per cent, and jute products at 3.5 per cent, despite ongoing geopolitical tensions and inflationary pressures in major international markets.
Market diversification emerged as a key driver of resilience during the year. Between January and November 2025, India recorded export growth across 118 countries compared to the corresponding period in 2024. Significant expansion was reported in markets such as the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Poland, Sudan, Japan, Nigeria, Argentina, Cameroon, and Uganda, alongside steady growth across several European countries including Spain, France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.
The Ministry said this performance is being supported by targeted policy measures aimed at enhancing competitiveness, encouraging value addition, and expanding market access. It added that the sustained momentum, widening export footprint, and strong performance of value-added segments reinforce India’s position as a reliable global sourcing hub for textiles and apparel, with the sector well placed to deepen its integration into global value chains in the coming period.
