Former SIMA Chairman T. Rajkumar and former BJP MLA Vanathi Srinivasan met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and expressed their gratitude for the Centre’s decision to suspend the 11 per cent Customs Duty and AIDC on imported raw cotton until October 30, 2026. They said the move would strengthen the competitiveness of the Kongu region’s textile sector in global markets.
Coimbatore: In a move widely welcomed by the textile industry, former Southern India Mills’ Association (SIMA) Chairman and Chairman of the CITI-CDRA Standing Committee on Cotton, T. Rajkumar, along with former BJP MLA Vanathi Srinivasan, met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and conveyed their appreciation for the Centre’s decision to suspend the 11 per cent Customs Duty and Agriculture Infrastructure and Development Cess (AIDC) on imported raw cotton from June 1 to October 30, 2026.
Describing the decision as a pragmatic and industry-focused measure, they said the duty exemption would not only provide immediate relief across the textile value chain but also strengthen the sector’s long-term growth prospects, resilience, and contribution to the national economy.
They also highlighted the significant benefits expected for Tamil Nadu’s Kongu region, one of India’s foremost textile and apparel manufacturing hubs. Home to thousands of spinning mills, textile units, entrepreneurs, exporters, and lakhs of workers, the region is expected to benefit substantially from improved raw material availability and lower production costs, they said.
They further noted that the measure would enhance the global competitiveness of Indian textile products and enable exporters to capitalize on opportunities arising from India’s expanding network of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), thereby strengthening the country’s position in the global textile and apparel market.
Describing the decision as a pragmatic and industry-focused measure, they said the duty exemption would not only provide immediate relief across the textile value chain but also strengthen the sector’s long-term growth prospects, resilience, and contribution to the national economy.
They also highlighted the significant benefits expected for Tamil Nadu’s Kongu region, one of India’s foremost textile and apparel manufacturing hubs. Home to thousands of spinning mills, textile units, entrepreneurs, exporters, and lakhs of workers, the region is expected to benefit substantially from improved raw material availability and lower production costs, they said.
They further noted that the measure would enhance the global competitiveness of Indian textile products and enable exporters to capitalize on opportunities arising from India’s expanding network of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), thereby strengthening the country’s position in the global textile and apparel market.