New Delhi, May 31 -- The government on Saturday exempted customs duty on cotton imports to ensure adequate availability of the raw material at competitive rates for domestic textiles industries for five months starting from Monday.

"This notification shall come into force with effect from the 01st day of June, 2026, and shall remain in force up to and inclusive of the 31st day of October, 2026," the Union finance ministry said in an order. The import duty on cotton was reinstated at 11% on January 1, after a brief hiatus from August to December 2025.

A government spokesperson said the government has "temporarily" exempted all customs duties on import of cotton to augment its availability for the Indian textile sector.

"The temporary du...