India's textile and apparel sector is moving through one of its more consequential phases in recent memory. The sector, including handicrafts, contributed 8.63 per cent to the country's total merchandise exports in 2024-25, with the sector clocking USD 37.7 billion in export value, a testament to its growing weight in India's trade story 1 . The numbers are not incidental, they reflect a structural shift in how global buyers are thinking about supply chain risk and sourcing diversification, with India increasingly positioned as a preferred alternative to established manufacturing corridors in Asia.
The shift has been building quietly for several years, accelerated by disruptions in competing sourcing geographies and a renewed push from India's own policy apparatus. The Indian textile market was valued at $146.55 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $213.51 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 3.85 per cent, with the government targeting $100 billion in textile exports by 2030 2 .
