India’s SEZ exports rise 32.02 per cent in 2025-26

Exports from India’s special economic zones rose sharply in 2025-26, reflecting strong growth in investment and employment. The government plans policy measures to improve domestic sales, enhance efficiency, and strengthen SEZs as key drivers of trade and industrial expansion

New Delhi: Exports from operational special economic zones (SEZs) totalled over Rs. 11.70 lakh crore in 2025‑26 (till December 2025), marking a 32.02 per cent increase from 2024, the government said on Saturday.

There are 368 notified SEZs in India (as of February end) and the total investment in those areas stand at Rs 7.86 lakh crore, the official statement said.

---

SEZs employed over 31.73 lakh people (as of December 2025), it added.

The Union Budget 2026‑27 proposed a special one‑time measure to permit eligible SEZ manufacturing units to sell a prescribed proportion of output in the domestic tariff area at concessional duty rates. The quantity of such sales will be limited to a prescribed proportion of their exports.

“Necessary regulatory amendments will be undertaken to operationalise this provision while ensuring a level-playing field for units operating in the DTA,” the government said.

The move aims to improve capacity utilisation, achieve economies of scale, reduce export costs and enhance the overall resilience of the SEZ ecosystem and boost global investor confidence.

Further, the extension of tax incentives for cloud and data-centre operations within SEZs is poised to attract global manufacturers and technology firms, further strengthening India’s investment ecosystem.

By offering fiscal incentives, streamlined regulatory processes, and modern infrastructure, SEZs have enhanced India’s global competitiveness. They have facilitated the growth of specialized industrial clusters, encouraged innovation and technological advancement, and positioned India as an attractive and reliable investment destination in the global market.

SEZs are designated areas within a country that operate under a distinct regulatory and fiscal framework to promote trade and investment.

Since the enactment of the SEZ Act in May 2005, these zones have significantly accelerated export growth while fostering industrial expansion across sectors, the statement noted. Beyond earning foreign exchange and building infrastructure, SEZs have contributed to the holistic development of local economies through direct and indirect employment generation, the emergence of new business ecosystems, and improved socio-economic outcomes.

In June 2025, the Government notified two new SEZs — one at Sanand, Gujarat, and another at Dharwad, Karnataka — for the manufacturing of semiconductors and electronic components, respectively.