New Delhi, June 1 -- The Indian government has exempted cotton imports from customs duty for five months starting 1 June. This is the second such exemption in recent times, following a similar duty waiver that initially ran from 19 August to 30 September 2025 before being extended until the end of that year.

The government said the exemption aims to ensure the textile industry has enough high-quality fibre and to boost the global competitiveness of Indian exports, following a decline in dollar-denominated textile shipments during FY26. While overall textile and apparel exports dropped 2.2% to $35.7 billion in FY26 from $36.6 billion in FY25, a weaker rupee actually boosted earnings in local currency. In rupee terms, exports grew 2.1% to ...