US tariff: Tiruppur exporters feel the heat; hope for early respite

Manufacturers from the textile hub see exports worth ₹12K cr taking hit due to US duties

- SANAL SUDEVAN @Chennai

THE 50% tariff imposed by the US on Indian textile exports is set to hit Tamil Nadu particularly hard. The state is home to Tiruppur, one of the country's largest textile hubs, which accounts for nearly 60% of India's knitwear exports.

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, warning that the tariff could severely affect Tamil Nadu's textile and apparel sector. He urged the Centre to provide special financial assistance to exporters. Tamil Nadu alone contributed $8 billion 26.8% of India's total textile exports worth $37 billion in FY25.

KM Subramanian, president of the Tiruppur Exporters Association (TEA), said: "Nearly 60% of knitwear exports come from Tiruppur.

Last year, our exports were worth 45,000 crore. With the new tariff, business worth ₹12,000 crore is immediately at risk. We urgently need the Union government to intervene with the US and provide financial support to exporters and manufacturers." Tiruppur employs over 8-9 lakh people in their 2,500 factories across the district. Over 60% of these are women.