India textile exports in August 2026 rose 6.39% year on year to $3.119 billion, driven by a 13.03% jump in textiles that outweighed a 2.74% fall in apparel. The figures come from Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) data reported by Fibre2Fashion on 16 September 2026.
August textile exports reached $1.918 billion, up from $1.697 billion a year earlier. Apparel exports slipped to $1.201 billion from $1.235 billion. Total textile and apparel exports a year earlier stood at $2.931 billion.
Which Textile Categories Drove India’s August Export Growth?
Cotton yarn, fabrics, made-ups and handloom products led with $1,121.03 million, up 13.79%. Man-made yarn, fabrics and made-ups added $446.51 million, up 9.92%. Handicrafts excluding handmade carpets grew fastest at $197.29 million, up 29.63%. Carpets reached $125.60 million, up 5.38%, while jute manufactures fell 19.39% to $27.60 million.
How Did April to August 2026 Compare With Last Year?
The five-month picture is flatter. Total textile and apparel exports for April to August 2026 were $15.077 billion, down 0.24% from $15.114 billion a year earlier. Textiles earned $8.928 billion, up 6.94%, while apparel earned $6.150 billion, down 9.10%. August therefore improved the monthly trend, but the cumulative total remains marginally below last year’s level.
What Do Rising Cotton Imports Mean for Mills?
Imports moved in two directions. Raw cotton and cotton waste imports rose 67.67% to $213.36 million in August, while imports of textile yarn, fabrics and made-ups fell 8.12% to $208.88 million. Higher raw cotton purchases suggest mills are buying more fibre for processing, while lower finished-goods imports point to domestic yarn and fabric supply holding its ground.
Market Reaction and Industry Response
The report attributes the data to CITI and does not carry stock-market or trade-body commentary. Readers following listed textile makers should wait for company results and export council statements before drawing conclusions about earnings.
What Happens Next?
The next monthly data release will show whether the textile strength and apparel weakness persist in September. Exporters also have RoDTEP support through 31 December 2026, which keeps duty-refund rates unchanged for the October to December shipping window. The gap between textiles and apparel is the figure to track.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did India’s textile and apparel exports grow in August 2026?
Exports grew 6.39% to $3.119 billion, compared with $2.931 billion in August 2025, according to CITI data reported by Fibre2Fashion.
Which segment grew fastest?
Among major groups, handicrafts excluding handmade carpets grew fastest at 29.63%. Within the headline split, textiles rose 13.03% while apparel fell 2.74%.
Are exports up for the year so far?
Not yet. April to August 2026 exports of $15.077 billion are 0.24% below the same period last year, because apparel is down 9.10% even though textiles are up 6.94%.
Source: Fibre2Fashion report dated 16 September 2026, citing Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) data.
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