India will firmly protect its textile and apparel sector in the upcoming trade agreement negotiations with the United States, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has assured representatives from the industry.
The assurance came during a recent meeting with Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) Chairman Sudhir Sekhri and Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council (TEXPROCIL) Chairman Vijay Agarwal, who voiced serious concerns over the potential impact of reciprocal tariffs.
According to AEPC, if the United States proceeds with its proposed 26% reciprocal tariff hike on Indian textile and apparel imports, it could have severe implications for the industry—especially given that apparel and home textiles are among India’s top export categories to the US.
India’s apparel exports to the US were valued at $5 billion in FY 2024–25, making the US a key market for Indian manufacturers. AEPC and TEXPROCIL emphasized that any such tariff increase could lead to a sharp decline in exports, job losses, and major setbacks for rural employment clusters and MSMEs—a backbone of India’s textile supply chain.
Minister Goyal reassured industry stakeholders that their interests will be duly represented and safeguarded in all trade discussions with the United States.
This development highlights the delicate balance between international trade diplomacy and the need to protect domestic industry competitiveness, especially in a sector that supports millions of livelihoods across India.
