The Indian textile and apparel industry is valued at US$ 184 billion in 2024-25, with the domestic market accounting for roughly 80% of that figure. The headline number reads as steady momentum. The structural reality underneath it is more complicated.
India’s T&A exports have grown at just 2% CAGR since 2019-20, reaching US$ 37 billion in 2024-25. The Ministry of Textiles has set a target of US$ 100 billion in exports by 2030-31 — a goal that demands 14% annual export growth from the current base. The gap between where the industry stands and where it needs to go is not incremental. It is categorical.
Two tensions define the landscape right now:
- Domestic growth vs. export stagnation. The domestic market has grown at 7% CAGR from US$ 106 billion in 2019-20 to US$ 147 billion in 2024-25, driven by apparel (75% share) and a fast-expanding technical textiles segment (US$ 28 billion). Exports have lagged well behind, held back by fragmentation, weak value addition in apparel, and competitive pressure from Bangladesh and Vietnam.
- China’s retreat as India’s ceiling question. With tariff pressure on Chinese goods intensifying, global buyers are consolidating sourcing toward vertically integrated suppliers. India sits 5th in global T&A trade rankings at 4% share — behind Vietnam (5%) and Bangladesh (5%). Closing that gap requires scale and supply chain depth that few Indian manufacturers currently possess.
Sportswear and athleisure have emerged as a bright spot, with organized brands registering 15-20% revenue growth. Mass market players like Zudio and V-Mart are reshaping domestic consumption in smaller towns. The industry’s two-track trajectory — a resilient home market, a challenged export platform — is the defining question for the next five years.
The full report maps production data, trade flows across fibre, yarn, fabric, and garments, and financial benchmarks across 51 listed Indian textile companies from 2019-20 through 2024-25.
