The duty-free import policy has led to a sharp increase in India's cotton imports in the fourth quarter of 2025.

       According to India's Economic Times, since the Indian government approved duty-free cotton imports, India's overseas cotton procurement volume has increased significantly. In the fourth quarter of 2025, India's cotton imports soared by 158% year-on-year, reaching a record high of 3.1 million bales (1 Indian cotton bale = 170 kilograms). It is estimated that in the 2025/26 cotton marketing year (from October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2026), India's cotton imports will hit a new high, reaching 5 million bales. (Economic and Commercial Office of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Republic of India)