India’s Minister of State for Textiles and External Affairs, Pabitra Margherita, used a recent visit to Russia to emphasise India’s intent to deepen cooperation in the textile sector across trade, technology, investment and manpower.
During his three-day trip, Margherita said India was exploring the possibility of increasing textile exports to Russia and other CIS nations, as part of its broader market diversification efforts. He noted that Russia imports around US $ 12 billion worth of textiles annually, but India’s share remained marginal.
He added that he had held high-level talks with Russian Deputy Ministers of Trade and Commerce to discuss future collaboration. Margherita also invited Russian firms to set up operations in India’s PM MITRA parks, offering access to integrated textile infrastructure and Indian manpower.
In Moscow, Margherita inaugurated the Best of India – Indian Apparel and Textile Fair from 1st-3rd October, which featured over 100 Indian exhibitors and sought to strengthen India’s textile exports to Russia and the CIS region. He said that B2B meetings during the fair and a footfall of over 10,000 visitors underscored the potential for deeper trade ties.
In the Ivanovo region — long regarded as Russia’s textile hub — Margherita held discussions with local officials and industry stakeholders. He said the talks covered joint ventures, technology exchange and investment, and that the region had expressed interest in employing skilled Indian workers.
He also visited a textile factory there and acknowledged the contributions of Indian employees working abroad, reiterating India’s commitment to supporting safe, legal and organised mobility of skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled workers under the e-Migrate system. He said the Ivanovo industry was ready to absorb at least 2,500 Indian workers this year, pointing to Russia’s favourable working conditions and remuneration.
Margherita also revealed that Russia would host an exhibition of Indian handloom textiles in December 2025 at Moscow’s Tsaritsyno Museum, with an annual footfall of 2 million, offering further exposure for Indian crafts.
During his address, Margherita reaffirmed India’s intent to share its textile value chain—from man-made fibre to apparel—and spotlighted PM MITRA parks as focal points for textile infrastructure in India. He noted that these parks would provide end-to-end facilities from yarn to finished garments, strengthening India’s offer to global industry.
The visit comes at a challenging time for Indian textile exports, which are under pressure from a 50% tariff imposed by the US Margherita’s efforts in Russia reflect India’s strategy to hedge export risks by pursuing new markets and strengthening ties in regions less affected by volatile trade policies.
