New Delhi, Aug. 28 -- To enhance raw cotton availability, the Central Government has extended the import duty exemption on cotton until December 31, 2025.

The Ministry of Finance announced in a statement on Thursday: "In order to support exporters further, the Central Government has decided to extend the import duty exemption on cotton (HS 5201) from September 30, 2025, till December 31, 2025."

The Central Government had temporarily exempted the 11 percent import duty on raw cotton from August 19, 2025, until September 30, 2025, providing interim relief to the textile and garment sector amid concerns over revenue losses from increased U.S. tariffs.

With this extension, the government aims to augment the availability of cotton for the I...