Special focus is being placed on Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with partner nations, including the recently signed India–UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). Export Promotion Councils, in coordination with Indian missions abroad, will spearhead targeted promotion drives to position India as a reliable source of quality, sustainable, and innovative textiles while reducing overdependence on a handful of traditional markets, officials said.
The US, India’s largest textile export market, accounted for $10.8 billion or 35% of shipments last year. But with apparel exports now facing a 63.9% duty, Indian exporters are at a 30-35% price disadvantage compared to competitors such as Bangladesh, Vietnam, Mexico, and Central American nations. Industry insiders have warned that if the tariffs persist, the apparel sector alone could witness to 15-20 lakh job cuts.