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The 2025 GST changes raised the 5% tax threshold for covered readymade garments and made-ups from ₹1,000 to ₹2,500 per piece. The Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI) welcomed that change and lower GST rates on man-made fibres and yarns, but says garments priced above ₹2,500 still face an unnecessarily high rate. Its proposed fix is to tax all garments at 5% or set a higher, more realistic threshold.
What GST change applies to garments?
According to the Press Information Bureau’s summary of the 56th GST Council meeting, covered readymade garments and made-ups attract 5% GST up to ₹2,500 per piece. The earlier threshold was ₹1,000. Garments above ₹2,500 remain in the higher-rate band described by CMAI as the source of its continuing concern. The government’s announcement summarizes the Council’s recommendations; the applicable legal notification and product classification determine the tax treatment of a particular item.
| Policy group or input | GST change reported by PIB |
|---|---|
| Covered readymade garments and made-ups priced at or below ₹2,500 per piece | 5%; the former threshold was ₹1,000 per piece |
| Man-made fibres | Reduced from 18% to 5% |
| Man-made yarns | Reduced from 12% to 5% |
The table reflects PIB’s account of the Council recommendations, not a product-by-product classification ruling. A retail price by itself does not establish the GST rate for every apparel product.
Why did the government change textile GST rates?
The government says the rate changes are intended to address distortions across the textile value chain, reduce production-cost pressures, support demand and exports, and improve competitiveness. Lower rates on man-made fibres and yarns are part of that stated effort to align costs through the chain, rather than a separate concession announced only for finished clothes. These are the government’s policy objectives; the announcement does not by itself demonstrate the size of any resulting cost or demand effect.
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Why does CMAI still object to the rate above ₹2,500?
CMAI welcomed the higher 5% threshold and the input-rate reductions, which it says address the inverted duty structure and support fibre neutrality. It argues that the higher tax on garments above ₹2,500 remains a point of friction between fibres, yarns and finished clothing. The association says many purchases above that price are made by ordinary and middle-class consumers, citing woollens, occasion wear, traditional Indian clothing, handlooms and embroidered garments. That is CMAI’s characterization, not an independently measured finding about consumer spending.
CMAI President Santosh Katariya asked the Council to remove the remaining disparity: “We earnestly request the Council to remove this anomaly, and either place all garments, irrespective of the price, at 5%, or fix a more reasonable and realistic price level.” The statement appeared in the September–October 2025 issue of Knitting Views. It represents the association’s policy position, not a final government decision.
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What sales effects has CMAI reported?
In CMAI’s October 2025 activity report, Chief Mentor Rahul Mehta estimated that ethnic and festive wear sales declined 15% during the festival season. He also estimated that branded garments priced above ₹2,500 fell 5–7%, while products below ₹2,500 grew 7–8% over the previous Diwali.
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| Reported estimate | Attribution and comparison |
|---|---|
| 15% decline | Rahul Mehta, quoted in CMAI’s October 2025 activity report; ethnic and festive wear during the festival season |
| 5–7% decline | Rahul Mehta, quoted in CMAI’s October 2025 activity report; branded garments above ₹2,500 |
| 7–8% growth | Rahul Mehta, quoted in CMAI’s October 2025 activity report; products below ₹2,500 over the previous Diwali |
The cited passage does not provide enough methodology to establish these figures as independently verified or nationally representative market measurements. They should be read as estimates reported by CMAI and attributed to Mehta, not as a comprehensive measure of the GST changes’ effects.
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What the announcement does—and does not—settle
The policy summary establishes the Council’s reported rate recommendations and the government’s stated goals. It does not resolve the classification or exact tax treatment of every garment, made-up, or related product. For a specific transaction, the relevant GST notification and tariff classification matter; neither the association’s advocacy nor a product’s sticker price is a substitute for that determination.
CMAI describes itself as representing India’s apparel industry and its views on tax matters. Its support for the reform and its request for further relief are industry advocacy. The association had also opposed a reported proposal to raise rates in December 2024, before the later 2025 recommendations; that earlier position is background to its continuing engagement, not a description of the adopted changes.
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