Indian garment manufacturers, renowned for white-label production for global brands, are now looking to expand into international markets with Indian national and localised labels.
The Clothing Manufacturers’ Association of India (CMAI) states that the rising popularity of home-grown brands and their ability to deliver international standards at lower rates than foreign names can help the Indian garment sector obtain a larger proportion of the global apparel market.
CMAI held its inaugural Businesses of India Expo in the UAE as part of its efforts to bring Indian businesses to international markets.
According to Rajesh Masand, President of CMAI, “We could showcase close to 350 Indian brands to consumers in the Middle East and North Africa Region (MENA).” Furthermore, we decided to start in a city with a large population of Indian diasporas.
India provides over US $ 1.1 billion of garments to the UAE annually, with growth estimated to be between 10-15 per cent each year as per CMAI.
Jayesh Shah, VP of CMAI, says, “The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) is projected to improve India’s garment exports to the region. The Brands of India show assisted Indian manufacturers in establishing commercial contacts with buyers from the UAE, North Africa, and portions of Europe. We may modify the orders based on the print, graphics, and our imagination.”
CEPA, which was concluded in May 2023, eliminated import duties on commodities supplied from India to the UAE. This decision will also benefit Indian garment exports. Bangladesh, a rival of Indian garment exports, benefits from duty exemption because it falls into the Least Developed Country (LDC) classification. It is expected to help the garment industry the most, according to UAE-based retail chains such as Lulu Group.
After China, India is the second major supplier of garments to the UAE. According to Indian garment exporters, their strength over China or Bangladesh comes in their capacity to take orders for smaller quantities that may be modified to meet the demands of the consumers. They also accept orders for as few as 150 units of any garment. Countries such as China and Bangladesh engage in mass production. The order must consist of a minimum of a couple of thousand pieces of any garment in one colour.
CMAI anticipates that exhibitions such as Brands of India will assist Indian makers of branded clothing in understanding developing international needs such as sustainability, design, and so on.
