India’s apparel exports declined 11.66 % year-on-year to US $1.21 billion in April 2026 from US $ 1.37 billion in the corresponding period last year, according to an analysis by the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI).
In contrast, textile exports registered a 3.59 % increase during the month, rising to US $1.67 billion from US $1.61 billion in April 2025, supported by higher shipments of carpets, handicrafts and man-made textiles.
As a result, cumulative textile and apparel (T&A) exports declined 3.42% to US $2.88 billion in April 2026 compared to US$ 2.98 billion a year ago.
The share of T&A in India’s total merchandise exports also fell to 6.62% from 7.79% during the same period.
Among textile segments, exports of cotton yarn, fabrics and made-ups stood at US $968.38 million, slightly higher than US $962.93 million recorded last year, while man-made yarn and fabrics exports increased 2.34% to US $392.77 million.
Carpet exports rose 9.93% to US $126.28 million, while handicrafts excluding handmade carpets surged 26.22% to US $154.73 million. India’s overall merchandise exports increased 13.78% year-on-year to US $43.56 billion in April 2026.
On the import front, cotton raw and waste imports declined 6.10% to US $81.58 million in April 2026 from US $86.88 million a year earlier. Likewise, imports of textile yarn, fabrics and made-ups fell 7.17% to US $179.27 million during the month.
