Dr A. Sakthivel has taken charge as Chairman of the Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) for a fifth term in January 2026. He has been associated with the AEPC board for more than four decades, having served as a member for the past 43 years.
At the charge-assumption ceremony, Rohit Kansal, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Textiles, said the textiles sector had consistently demonstrated resilience despite recurring challenges. He noted that the government remained aware of the difficulties faced by the industry and was committed to continuing its support to strengthen textile and apparel exports. Former AEPC chairman Sudhir Sekhri, along with senior industry members, representatives of buying houses and other dignitaries, were also present.
Dr Sakthivel is widely credited with playing a pivotal role in transforming Tirupur into a global knitwear manufacturing hub. Exports from the region have grown from about Rs. 15 crore (US $ 1.66 million) in 1984 to approximately Rs. 45,000 crore (US $ 5 billion) in the 2024–25 financial year. During his earlier tenures at AEPC, he placed strong emphasis on the development of man-made fibre (MMF) garments and medical textiles, an approach that contributed to the inclusion of MMF apparel under the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme.
On assuming office for his fifth term, Dr Sakthivel said he would continue to work closely with the Government of India, state governments and industry stakeholders to expand market access, make effective use of India’s growing network of free trade agreements, address emerging challenges such as sustainability and compliance requirements, and increase India’s share in global apparel trade.
He identified the immediate priority for the council as mitigating the adverse impact of recent US tariff measures on Indian apparel exporters and the millions of workers dependent on the sector. He also acknowledged the government’s recent support measures for exports, particularly for labour-intensive sectors such as apparel, and said the AEPC would maintain its focus on export growth, market diversification and responding to evolving global trade challenges.
Following his appointment, Dr Sakthivel met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi. During the meeting, he conveyed his appreciation for the government’s continued support to exporters, including the announcement of the Interest Subvention Scheme, credit guarantee support for export-linked working capital loans to micro, small and medium enterprises under the CGTMSE framework, and the extension of trade finance support to exports of selected products.
He also urged the Finance Minister to consider raising the higher cap limit under the Interest Subvention Scheme to further strengthen the liquidity position and global competitiveness of MSME exporters.
Bharat Tex Special Report 2026 
