BY: GIRIRAJ SINGH

Indian apparel & textile industry with a size of about US $ 176 billion, contributes close to 2 per cent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product and accounts for about 11 per cent of the manufacturing output. The textile industry is also one of the largest sources of employment generation in the country directly employing over 45 million textile workers. India is the sixth largest exporter of textiles and apparels and has a share of about 4 percent of the global trade in this segment. The share of textile and apparel (T&A) including handicrafts in India’s total merchandise exports is currently about 8 percent. The sector has perfect alignment with Government’s key initiatives like Make in India, Skill India, Women Empowerment and Rural Youth Employment.

The Budget announced an outlay of Rs. 5,272 crores for the Ministry of Textiles for 2025-26. This was an increase of about 19 percent over budget estimates of 2024-25 (Rs. 4417.03 crore), and is the highest in recent years. Budget for the Production Linked Investment Scheme for Textiles has been enhanced from Rs.45 crore (BE) in 2024-25 to Rs.1148 crore this year. Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for textiles is being implemented to enhance India’s manufacturing capabilities and enhancing exports with an approved financial outlay of Rs 10,683........

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