Centre waives cotton import duty till Oct 2026; AEPC, CITI flag margin relief for apparel MSMEs

Government of India exempts all customs duties on cotton imports from June 1 to October 30, 2026, a five-month window aimed at easing input costs for textile MSMEs. AEPC and CITI back the move as a lever for export competitiveness toward the $100B-by-2030 apparel target.

— Filed Sat, 30 May, 2026, 22:44 IST · Source Times of India · Business · Updated

Centre exempts all customs duties on cotton imports from June 1 to October 30, 2026. Textile industry bodies AEPC and CITI welcome the move, citing relief for MSMEs, lower input costs, and improved global competitiveness for India's apparel exporters targeting $100B by 2030.