New Delhi, April 22 : Indiaâ??s textile sector remained resilient in global markets, with textile exports, including handicrafts, rising 2.1 per cent to Rs 3,16,334.9 crore in FY26 from earlier fiscal (FY25) when it stood at Rs 3,09,859.3 crore, an official statement said on Wednesday.

Readyâ??made garments (RMGs) remained the largest contributor to exports with the segment increasing 2.9 per cent to Rs 1,39,349.6 crore, while cotton yarn, fabrics, madeâ??ups and handloom exports were broadly stable at Rs 1,02,399.7 crore, an official statement said.

Man-made yarn, fabrics and made-ups posted a stronger growth of 3.6 per cent, with exports increasing from Rs 41,196.0 crore to Rs 42,687.8 crore, the Ministry of Textiles said in a statement.

Among valueâ??added segments, handicrafts excluding handmade carpets recorded the strongest growth, rising 6.1 per cent to Rs 15,855.1 crore.

Exports reached 120 destinations during April 2025 to February 2026 over the corresponding period of the previous year, indicating broad-based geographical expansion in Indiaâ??s textile export basket.

A notable growth has been observed in key markets such as the UAE (22.3 per cent), the UK (7.8 per cent), Germany (9.9 per cent), Spain (15.5 per cent), Japan (20.6 per cent), Egypt (38.3 per cent), Nigeria (21.4 per cent), Senegal (54.4 per cent), and Sudan (205.6 per cent), etc.

The government has continued to support the sector through key export facilitation and remission measures, including the extension of the Rebate of State and Central Taxes and Levies (RoSCTL) Scheme and the RoDTEP Scheme beyond March 31, 2026.

Indiaâ??s FTA agenda also saw major progress during 2025â??26, with important implications for the textile and apparel sector. The Indiaâ??EFTA TEPA entered into force on October 1, 2025. The Indiaâ??UK CETA Indiaâ??Oman CEPA, Indiaâ??New Zealand FTA and the Indiaâ??EU FTA were notable developments in the last two years.

Collectively, these FTA developments are expected to improve preferential market access, reduce tariff disadvantages, support supply-chain integration, and open new opportunities for textiles, apparel, handicrafts and technical textiles, thereby aiding market diversification, export growth, investment, technology partnerships, and Indiaâ??s deeper integration into global value chains.

/IANS