India’s Textile Renaissance: Achieving the "Bangladesh-Plus" Advantage

~Sumon Mukhopadhyay 

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The global textile map is being redrawn. While the recent US-Bangladesh Trade Deal (Feb 9, 2026) brought Dhaka’s tariffs down to 19% with a zero-duty quota for US-origin yarn, India is not staying behind. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has confirmed that India is set to secure similar preferential access, effectively neutralizing the decades-old advantage held by its neighbors.

The Level Playing Field: India vs. Bangladesh

For years, Indian exporters faced a structural disadvantage in the US market compared to Bangladesh. That era is ending. Following the breakthrough between PM Modi and Donald Trump, India’s reciprocal tariffs are dropping to 18%, but the real "kicker" is the parity in raw material incentives.

Strategic Shift: The Yarn-Forward Advantage

Minister Goyal’s recent announcement highlights a crucial pivot: India will gain zero-duty access for garments manufactured using US-origin cotton or yarn. This directly counters the Annex III provisions of the new US-Bangladesh deal.

What This Means for the Value Chain:

• ✅ Parity with Dhaka: India effectively matches Bangladesh’s preferential access for the first time in history.
• ✅ Raw Material Integration: India’s massive domestic spinning capacity can now blend with US-origin yarn to optimize global tax liabilities.
• ✅ Margin Expansion: Lower duties (18% vs previous 25%) plus zero-duty quotas will lead to immediate earnings upgrades for export-focused firms.

Updated Global Tariff Landscape (Feb 2026)

Country	Tariff Rate	Special Benefit
India	18%	Zero-Duty Access via US Yarn parity.
Bangladesh	19%	Zero-duty quota for US fibre apparel.
Pakistan / Vietnam	19% - 20%	Standard Reciprocal rates.

BottomLine:

The India–US trade reset didn’t just ease tariffs — it restored cost competitiveness.

Lower export duties, cheaper US yarn inputs, and India’s integrated manufacturing strength together position the textile sector for a sustained export revival.

After two lean years, the industry isn’t merely recovering. It’s re-entering the global race with real momentum.