Bangladesh Defense
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Nothing to do with BD shifting deliberately.That order was decided on during Hasina's time. Future orders will likely not go to India.
Bangladesh is not a large country like India, sometimes it is cheaper to import products than to make locally.
Now on to Cotton imports from India which is also taking the beating.
Bangladesh moves away from India, makes Brazil its top cotton source
Brazil has overtaken India as the largest raw cotton supplier to Bangladesh, whose economy depends on the readymade garments sector. The shift coincides with the fall of the Sheikh Hasina regime in Bangladesh.
Brazil became Bangladesh's top supplier of raw cotton with a 25% share of its imports, revealed a US Department of Agriculture report. (Image for representation: PTI)
India Today World Desk
New Delhi,UPDATED: Dec 9, 2025 19:59 IST
Written By: Gaurav Kumar
Brazil has become Bangladesh's largest source of raw cotton, ending India's long-standing dominance in one of the world's biggest textile markets. Bangladesh is the world's second-largest ready-made garment exporter after China. This shift comes in the months after the regime change in Bangladesh that saw the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. That Brazil became Bangladesh's top supplier, pipping India, was revealed in a report by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), which also spoke about the regime change in the country.
The readymade garments sector accounts for over 80% of Bangladesh's total export earnings, contributing roughly 10% to its annual GDP, according to a Reuters report in July 2025. The sector employs 4 million people, according to the report.
In the 2024-25 marketing year (August 2024-July 2025), Bangladesh imported a record 8.28 million bales of cotton. Of these, Brazil supplied 1.9 million bales (25% of the market share), while India dropped to second place with 1.4 million bales (15%), according to a US Department of Agriculture (USDA) report published in December.
Just a year earlier, India had led with 1.79 million bales and a 23% share.
The spinning industry in Bangladesh utilizes raw cotton to produce two types of yarn: cotton yarn and mixed yarn.
Total cotton imports in MY 2024/25 are 5.2% higher than the 7.8 million bales imported in MY 2023/24, according to the report.
Other major suppliers include the United States (7% share), Australia, and several West African countries, but none come close to Brazil’s new volume.
"Bangladeshi importers mainly bought Indian cotton for shorter shipment times via the Kolkata and Benapole ports, despite higher prices and some quality issues," the Daily Star reported.
Imports of raw cotton are forecast to inch up 1.4% in MY 2025-26 amid higher mill utilization.
In the current market year, the USDA expects Bangladesh to import 8.4 million bales of raw cotton, a 1.4% rise from MY25 due to stronger demand from domestic spinners.
The forecasted import level is 5.2 % above the 7.8 million bales brought in during MY24.
The USDA report noted that cotton imports stayed steady through MY25, despite initial disruptions to ready-made garment (RMG) production after the new interim government was formed in August 2024.
The RMG sector in Bangladesh holds considerable significance within the nation's economy, serving as a key driver of economic growth and development.
It's just that India don't have much excess cotton this time for various reason.
