New Delhi, Aug. 20 -- The government has exempted cotton imports from all customs duties for 43 days starting Tuesday, aiming to stabilise domestic prices and help garment exporters compete against rivals in the American market where the Trump administration has imposed steep tariffs on Indian goods. While Indian exports face a 25% reciprocal tariff in the US, competing nations face only 20%. The relief is particularly crucial for labour-intensive textiles and garments, which operate on low margins despite high volumes. Citing "public interest", the central government has exempted cotton imports "from the whole of the duty of customs" and from the agriculture infrastructure and development cess (AIDC), a finance ministry notification dated ...