India’s silk-product exports rise 52% as Maharashtra develops village hubs
India exported ₹35.79 billion of silk products in fiscal 2025-26, up 52% from ₹23.61 billion a year earlier. Maharashtra is developing village-level silk clusters, while India continues to import substantial volumes of raw silk.
Silk exports climb to ₹35.79 billion
India’s silk-product exports increased by 52% in fiscal 2025-26 as overseas demand and the industry’s shift toward higher-value goods supported sales. Citing Central Silk Board data, Business Standard Hindi reported exports worth ₹35.79 billion, compared with ₹23.61 billion in 2024-25 and ₹14.67 billion in 2020-21. The figures show that export value has more than doubled in five years.
Finished and semi-finished goods dominate the trade. Business Standard Hindi lists fabric exports at ₹19.28 billion and ready-made garment exports at ₹11.02 billion for a period identified in the report as 2025-25. Together, those categories account for most of the reported export value. India now exports negligible quantities of cocoons and raw silk, although both products were previously part of its overseas trade.
Raw-silk imports remain significant
The export increase has occurred alongside continued dependence on imported material. India imported silk products worth ₹19.11 billion in fiscal 2025-26, according to the Central Silk Board figures cited by the publication. Raw silk represented ₹13.00 billion of that amount and a physical volume of 2,627 metric tonnes.
This trade mix separates India’s upstream supply position from its strength in processing. Limited exports of cocoons and raw silk keep more material available for domestic conversion, while imported raw silk supplements local supply. Export revenue is concentrated further along the value chain in fabrics and clothing, where spinning, weaving, dyeing and garment production add value. For producers and processors, the simultaneous growth in exports and imports indicates that access to consistent raw-material volumes remains important to sustaining finished-product sales.
Maharashtra plans an integrated village value chain
Maharashtra is seeking to expand its role beyond cocoon production and sales through its “Soil to Silk — Self-Reliant Silk Village” program. The state plans to establish the full chain at village level, covering mulberry cultivation, silkworm rearing, cocoon production, silk yarn, dyeing, textile manufacturing and marketing. Cluster-based development will cover both mulberry and tasar silk, while advanced production villages are to be developed as model silk villages.
State Textile Minister Sanjay Savkare said silk trading markets had been established to give farmers access to suitable buyers. The report names markets in Beed, Jalna and Baramati and also says new markets have opened in Solapur and Jalna. Silk offices operate in 27 districts, with a new district office opened in Jalgaon. Maharashtra’s first silk-cocoon processing training center is being established in Baramati to train farmers and entrepreneurs to turn cocoons into yarn, textiles and other value-added products. The state is also giving specific support to the tasar silk industry in Gadchiroli district.
Technology and training underpin the expansion
Maharashtra plans to use modern technology, artificial intelligence and digital platforms across the village clusters to raise output and productivity, improve quality and connect farmers directly with markets. In July 2026, the state government signed a memorandum of understanding with the BAIF Development Research Foundation. The partnership is intended to create employment in rural and tribal areas, strengthen local economies and support greater economic independence among forest communities. The commercial test will be whether the clusters can supply processors with consistent quality while moving rural producers into yarn, fabric and other products that capture more of the final selling price.
