Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], February 22: Bharat Tex 2025, India's largest and most prestigious global textile event, concluded on a high note, setting new benchmarks for the textile and apparel sector.
Showcasing MMF & Technical Textiles
Shri Bhadresh Dodhia, Chairman of MATEXIL (Man made Fibre and Technical Textiles Export Promotion Council) and Co-Chairman of the Core Committee said, "Bharat Tex 2025 has provided a great platform to promote Man made fibre and Technical Textiles". About 250 companies participated in Bharat Tex 2025 through MATEXIL, an Export Promotion Council that promotes exports of Man-made fibre textiles such as Fibre, Yarn, Fabrics, Made-ups (including Home Textiles) and Technical Textiles. Further, about 370 foreign buyers from different countries had visited the event on the Invitations and arrangements made by MATEXIL.
Source: Tribune India
India’s textile industry is a vital contributor to the country’s economy, generating employment, driving exports and supporting industrial growth. As one of the largest producers of cotton and synthetic fibres, the sector encompasses everything from traditional handloom artisans to cutting-edge technical textiles.
However, challenges such as fluctuating raw material prices, outdated manufacturing infrastructure and global competition demand strong policy interventions for sustained growth.
The Union Budget 2025-26 seeks to address these challenges and propel the industry forward. Rising from INR 4,417.03 Cr in 2024-25 to INR 5,272 Cr—registering a 19% increase in allocation to the Textile Ministry—the budget reflects the government’s commitment to addressing long-standing challenges and unlocking new opportunities for growth.
Source: Invest India
India and ASEAN are set to hold the next discussion for a review of the 2009 free trade agreement in April, with talks progressing slowly. The review aims for an updated deal to address trade imbalances and misuse while enhancing balanced and sustainable trade relations between the two regions. The next round of negotiations for reviewing the India-Asean free trade agreement in goods is expected in April, though the pace of talks is slow, an official said.
ASEAN as a group is India's one of major trade partners with about 11 per cent share in the country's global trade. The review of the agreement is a long-standing demand of Indian industry and India is looking forward to an upgraded pact which will address the current asymmetries in bilateral trade and will make trade more balanced and sustainable.
Source: The Economic Times
After a gap of over eight months, India and the UK will resume negotiations for a proposed free trade agreement (FTA) here from February 24, an official said.
UK's Secretary of State for Business and Trade Jonathan Reynolds will be here for resumption of the talks. He will hold a bilateral meeting with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, the official said.
The India-UK FTA negotiations were launched on January 13, 2022.
The two countries are also negotiating a bilateral investment treaty (BIT). There are 26 chapters in the agreement, which includes goods, services, investments and intellectual property rights.
Source: Business Standard
Banks should play an important role in meeting the credit needs of the textile sector, which supports 5.4 crore jobs and whose market size is targeted to grow from USD 172 billion now to USD 350 billion by 2030, textile commissioner Roop Rashi has said.
While banks give priority to big-ticket loans and project finance, Rashi hoped they would also give equal importance to the funding needs of textile units. This will truly promote financial inclusion as 70 per cent of handloom units are operated by women.
Source: Business World
The 56th edition of Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris took place in a particularly dynamic atmosphere. More than 8,500 international visitors discovered and made business connection with the 1,250 exhibitors from 32 countries over three days at the Paris-Le Bourget Exhibition Centre.
Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris, Europe's biggest marketplace for fashion textiles and clothing, has confirmed its position as the leading global fashion platform for mid-range segment buyers and suppliers. Held from 10 to 12 February 2025 at the Paris - Le Bourget Exhibition Centre, the new edition attracted more than 8,500 visitors, a 10% increase comparing to the February 2024 edition.
Source: Fibre2fashion
Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnam International Trade Fair for Apparel, Textiles and Textile Technologies (VIATT) will be held at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City from February 26-28.
According to the organisers, this year’s edition is expected to host over 400 exhibitors with more than 500 booths, showcasing a wide range of products and solutions covering the entire textile and garment supply chain. Exhibits will include fabrics and garment accessories, fibers and yarns, apparel, home textiles, industrial textiles, non-woven fabrics, textile machinery, and certification services.
The event will see strong international participation, featuring national and regional pavilions from India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Pakistan, Taiwan (China), and Thailand.
Source: Vietnam Plus
Welcoming the latest budget in Sri Lanka, the Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) recently expressed serious concern over the potential impact of a premature removal of the simplified value-added tax (SVAT) without a clear, well-tested alternative. Ensuring a smooth and transparent transition from SVAT is crucial to maintaining the apparel industry’s competitiveness and sustaining investor confidence, JAAF said. Timely VAT refunds and a robust mechanism to prevent delays will be key to safeguarding liquidity for exporters, it stressed. The Forum was among those who had advocated a digitally driven VAT refund solution with minimal human intervention, ensuring efficiency and transparency.
Source: Fibre2fashion
Switzerland and other EFTA nations—Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway—plan to invest USD 100 billion in India over the next 15 years as part of the newly signed Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA). Swiss Consul General Martin U Maier emphasized the need to attract Swiss companies to expand operations in India while acknowledging competition from other Asian nations.
Maier emphasized the need for a concerted effort to encourage Swiss companies to expand their operations in India. "Together with India, we now have to ensure that Swiss companies flock to India and invest here. There are many companies that are interested and actively exploring investment opportunities," he stated. The USD 100 billion investment commitment marks a major milestone in India-EFTA economic relations, signaling a boost in trade, employment, and industrial collaboration between the two regions.
Source: The Economic Times
