Mumbai, July 3 -- Tiruppur, the knitwear hub in Tamil Nadu, posted record exports of Rs 460 billion (Rs 460 bn) in 2025-26, up three per cent from Rs 447.47 billion (Rs 447.47 bn) in the previous year. The Tiruppur Exporters Association set a target of reaching Rs 1 trillion (Rs 1 tn) by 2030 and said the city accounted for nearly 60 per cent of India's knitwear exports while generating more than one million (1 mn) jobs.

The figures were announced at an event attended by the Union Textiles Minister, who outlined a national aim to raise textile exports from US dollar 38 billion (US$38 bn) to US dollar 100 billion (US$100 bn) by 2030. TEA reported that the average exchange rate was about Rs 85.6-86 per US dollar, against about Rs 83.1-83.3 in the prior year, which improved competitiveness.

To meet the Rs 1 tn objective, industry representatives presented demands including worker accommodation and hostel facilities, zero import duty on cotton, extension of the Rebate of State and Central Taxes and Levies scheme and expedited rollout of the Textile Expansion and Employment scheme. They also sought incentives for man made fibre processing and simplified import procedures to scale up blended production.

The minister pledged government support for establishing hostels for women workers, developing new industrial clusters and adopting modern manufacturing technologies, while noting the role of Free Trade Agreements in opening markets. He welcomed Tiruppur's pivot to blended and man made fibre based production and encouraged a manufacturing mix of fifty per cent cotton and fifty per cent man made fibre, urging sustainable practices.

Officials noted that India has trade agreements with thirty eight countries and that Tamil Nadu has been assigned a target of US dollar 21 billion, with Tiruppur expected to contribute US dollar 11.5 billion. The state plans to produce technical textiles worth Rs 1,000 crore, create five thousand specialised jobs by 2031 and allocate Rs 1,250 crore over five years for hostels for women workers.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Construction World.