Giriraj Singh, the Union Minister of Textiles, held discussions with prominent members of the industry, Export Promotion Councils and associations that encompassed the whole textile value chain.
Pabitra Margherita, Union Minister of State for Textiles, Rachna Shah, Secretary Textiles and senior officials from the Ministry were present during the interaction. Sudhir Sekhri, Chairman, AEPC, Harish Ahuja, MD, Shahi Exports; Virender Uppal, MD, Richa Global Exports, Pallab Banerjee Pearl Global and other leading exporters were also present in the meeting.
Singh emphasised how crucial it is to draw significant investment into the industry, develop cutting-edge, world-class infrastructure, make doing business easier, and concentrate on creating jobs, particularly in labour-intensive industries like apparel and clothing.
Stakeholders reported that commerce is improving as demand for goods and services abroad rises, and China+1 policy benefits India. By the end of 2026, Bangladesh is expected to leave the LDC category and formally become a “Developing Country.” As a result, Bangladesh will no longer enjoy the duty advantage which further favours Indian businesses.
Industry concerns included free trade agreements, restrictions on cotton exports, emphasis on design development, and the inclusion of new products in the PLI 2 programme with minimal investment requirements.
Additionally, since the Technological Upgradation Fund (TUF) programme has been discontinued, a thrust was placed on to encourage technological investment. In order to draw in additional investment, it was also emphasised that India ought to have an investment summit specifically focused on textiles and clothing.
It was noted that as sustainability is gaining popularity everywhere, there should be a “green fund” to support these activities and that tax breaks for these investments are also necessary.
It was also emphasised to guarantee the supply of high-quality Man-Made Fabric (MMF) and to see that India’s exports were not just limited to the three main markets of the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom, but that export trade would be done with various other markets around the world.
The industry representatives expressed gratitude for the Union Government’s major initiatives, such as the PM MITRA Park Scheme, PLI Scheme for Textiles, National Technical Textiles Mission, and the SAMARTH skill development programme, which will help to draw in investment, expand capabilities, and create jobs.
