Despite numerous uncertainties in the global trade environment, the Italian textile machinery industry remains cautiously optimistic about export prospects in 2026. According to data disclosed by CEMATEX during the 2025 ITMA Asia + CITME exhibition in Singapore, Asia has long been the most important overseas market for Italian textile machinery. In 2024, Italian exports of textile machinery to Asia reached €664 million; in the first half of 2025, they totalled €317 million, a year‑on‑year increase of 1%. Looking ahead to 2026, exports to India, Egypt and Vietnam are expected to maintain positive growth trends. This indicates that South and Southeast Asia are likely to become new growth engines driving continued global textile machinery trade.

As for the Indian market, the Indian government made a highly welcome decision in January 2026 – formally revoking the previously issued Quality Control Order (QCO) on imports of textile machinery. The QCO would have imposed mandatory certification requirements on various imported textile machines. This revocation significantly reduces international trade barriers, removes policy obstacles for accelerating modernisation of India’s textile industry, and opens the door for international machinery manufacturers from China, Italy, Germany and elsewhere to enter the Indian market. At the same time, the Vietnamese textile market is performing strongly. From 8 to 11 April 2026, the SaigonTex – SaigonFabric 2026 international textile & garment industry exhibition opened in Ho Chi Minh City, attracting over 1,000 companies from 22 countries and regions, showcasing complete textile and garment value chain technologies and environmental solutions – from machinery and equipment to fabrics, yarns, accessories and garment materials.