A delegation of producers and exporters carries out an agenda in India, expands market share, and joins the presidential mission to advance trade negotiations between Mercosur and India

With the mission of increasing Brazilian cotton’s share in the Indian market, strengthening trade partnerships, and promoting the unique qualities of Brazil’s fiber, a Brazilian delegation made up of representatives from Cotton Brazil, Brazil’s international cotton promotion program, is carrying out an agenda in India, one of the world’s largest textile hubs. The trip takes place from February 17 to 28.

Participants include members of the Brazilian Cotton Growers Association (Abrapa), the National Cotton Exporters Association (Anea), and ApexBrasil.

“India is home to a highly competitive spinning industry. Our goal is to strengthen strategic partnerships, promote the traceability and sustainability of Brazilian fiber, and consolidate Brazil as a reliable supplier capable of meeting the demands of the Indian textile industry,” says Fernando Rati, manager of Cotton Brazil.

India Is a Priority Country in Cotton Brazil’s Strategy

As the world’s second-largest producer and consumer of cotton, India has established itself as a strategic partner for the Brazilian sector. This is the third time Cotton Brazil has carried out a structured agenda in the country. Recent results confirm the progress of this strategy. In the 2024/25 season, Brazil reached a 24% share among exporting origins to India, compared to 4% recorded in the previous cycle. The growth was driven by the missions carried out in 2024 and by the increased competitiveness of Brazilian cotton. In the cumulative 2025/26 season (August 2025 to January 2026), Brazil has already exported 185,000 tons to the Indian market.

“The growth of our market share in India is the result of continuous relationship-building, technical presence, and trust-building with the local industry. There is room to further expand this partnership in the coming years,” says Marcelo Duarte, Director of International Relations at Abrapa.

For Abrapa’s Vice President, Celestino Zanella, consolidating the partnership goes beyond commercial factors. “The partnership between Brazil and India in the cotton sector reflects a production model that combines efficiency with strict socio-environmental standards — essential requirements for the competitiveness of the Asian industry. Brazilian cotton delivers quality, predictability, and compliance, attributes increasingly valued by the Indian market,” he highlights.

Trade Diplomacy

The agenda takes place alongside the official Brazilian government mission to India. Representatives of the cotton sector are accompanying President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Carlos Fávaro, in negotiations to expand the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) between Mercosur and India.

Cotton Brazil’s participation aims to contribute to reducing import tariffs on Brazilian cotton and to establishing zero-tariff quotas, increasing the competitiveness of Brazilian fiber in the Asian market. The delegation will also meet with the Executive Secretary of India’s Ministry of Textiles to present a technical study on the complementarity between the two countries’ production chains.

Technical Agenda

The mission also includes three editions of the Cotton Brazil Outlook, featuring presentations on quality, compliance, and sustainability data related to Brazilian cotton, as well as technical workshops aimed at Indian spinning mills.

The itinerary includes New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Coimbatore, and Mumbai, bringing together institutional commitments and meetings with the local textile industry.

Through this agenda, Brazil reinforces its strategy of maintaining a continuous presence in the Indian market and consolidates Brazilian cotton as a competitive, traceable, and sustainable supplier for one of the world’s largest industrial hubs.