The Government of India has extended the customs duty exemption on cotton imports until December 31, 2026, providing further relief to the country’s textile and apparel industry.
The extension, notified by the Ministry of Finance through Notification No. 35/2026-Customs dated October 30, 2026, will allow textile and apparel manufacturers to continue importing cotton under the existing exemption framework.
The move is expected to benefit spinning mills, textile manufacturers, apparel exporters and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) by improving raw-material availability, easing input-cost pressures and providing greater certainty for production planning.
Welcoming the decision, Dr. A. Sakthivel, Chairman of the Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC), appreciated the government’s timely intervention, stating that the extension would help stabilise raw-material supplies and strengthen the competitiveness of Indian textile and apparel exporters.
He noted that the measure would provide greater stability to the sector, ease cost pressures and support exporters in meeting growing domestic and international demand.
The extension is expected to provide continued support across India’s textile value chain at a time when manufacturers and exporters are navigating cost pressures and evolving global trade conditions. It also reinforces the government’s efforts to strengthen domestic textile manufacturing and enhance India’s competitiveness in global apparel markets.