Days after the 90-day pause on America’s country-specific reciprocal tariffs kicked in, exporters are seeing a resumption of outbound shipments to the United States (US) on the basis of existing orders although the fate of fresh orders remains uncertain.
With the US now imposing a 10 per cent import tariff on all its trade partners except China, American buyers are asking Indian sellers to absorb one-third to half the additional tariff imposed, exporters said.
In sectors such as apparel, sellers are trying to utilise the 90-day window to send their shipments to the US before July 9.
Source: The Business Standard
The United States’ (US) crackdown on Chinese low-value e-commerce shipments has opened a “rare and potentially lucrative” window for Indian exporters of items such as handicrafts, fashion, and home goods, a Delhi-based think tank said on April 13, 2025.
“With over 1 lakh e-commerce sellers and $5 billion in current exports, India is well positioned to fill the gap left by China—particularly in customised, small-batch products like handicrafts, fashion, and home goods,” according to a report released by the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), adding that in order to achieve this, reforms will be critical.
Source: The Business Standard
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal is likely to visit two European countries later this month with an aim to further boost trade and investment ties, an official has said. The minister is expected to lead a business delegation to these countries, the official said. The visit assumes significance as India signed a comprehensive free trade agreement with the four European nation bloc EFTA in March last year. It is expected to be implemented this year. The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) members are Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. The two sides signed the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) on March 10, 2024. Under the pact, India has received an investment commitment of USD 100 billion in 15 years from the grouping while allowing several products such as Swiss watches, chocolates and cut and polished diamonds at lower or zero duties. India has set up a dedicated platform EFTA desk to promote trade, investment, and business facilitation between the two regions.
On the other hand, talks are also progressing at a faster pace for a trade agreement with the 27-nation bloc European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom.
Source: The Business Standard
India is all set to come out with a fresh target of 30 per cent for ethanol blending in petrol by 2030, as it already touched 20 per cent by March this year, according to sources.
Though 20 per cent was initially set for 2030, it was later brought forward to the 2024-25 ethanol supply year (November 1-October 31).
In the supply year 2023-24, ethanol blending in petrol touched an average of 14.6 per cent. This was a significant increase from 12.06 per cent in supply year 2022-23.
Source: The Business Standard
Italy is bringing its signature blend of tradition, innovation, and engineering excellence back to the spotlight at Techtextil North America 2025, the premier U.S. trade show for technical textiles and nonwovens, running from May 6 to 8 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia.
Led by the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) and ACIMIT, the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers, the Italian Pavilion (Booth 3431) will host 21 top-tier Italian companies—all leaders in textile technology, automation, and sustainable production.
From advanced dyeing and finishing systems to precision weaving preparation and high-efficiency machinery, the Italian Pavilion will showcase a diverse range of innovations tailored for today’s evolving textile industry.
The United States remains a core market for Italian textile machinery, ranking fourth globally behind China, Turkey, and India. In 2024 alone, Italian textile machinery exports to the U.S. totaled €112 million, a testament to the demand for Italian-made quality and performance.
Source: Textile World
A recent rise in the euro-dollar exchange rate is expected to provide a much-needed boost to Türkiye’s export performance, particularly in the sluggish textile sector, which relies heavily on trade with European markets.
Amid rising costs, labor shortages, and currency fluctuations, many Turkish textile manufacturers relocated production abroad—especially to Egypt—as the number of companies declined from 61,352 to 59,101 because of the bankruptcies. In 2024, the sector shed 65,581 jobs, bringing total employment down to 959,395—its lowest in four years—while exports dropped by 8% to around $31 billion–$32 billion.
On the other hand, appreciation of the euro against the U.S. dollar—reaching its highest level since February 2022 at 1.1474 before stabilizing at 1.1365—could positively impact Turkish exporters. As the euro strengthens, Turkish goods become relatively more affordable for European buyers, potentially improving competitiveness and export volumes.
Source: Turkey Today
Several Chinese government departments, trade associations and enterprises have started taking action to help export-oriented businesses tap into the country's vast domestic market in light of the imposition of reciprocal tariffs by the United States. The Commerce Ministry will integrate domestic and foreign trade, and continue organising the ‘Premium Export Products in China’ campaign to build platforms that support export-oriented enterprises in exploring the domestic market. More efforts will be made to assist these enterprises in areas like market access, channel development, fiscal and financial support and service guarantees, ministry spokesperson He Yongqian told a press conference last week. The China Chain-Store & Franchise Association and seven other industry associations jointly announced an initiative to promote better integration of domestic and foreign trade.
The China General Chamber of Commerce, along with six other national trade associations, issued a joint proposal urging grocery chains, department stores, e-commerce platforms and wholesale markets to establish ‘green channels’ for exporters. These would include dedicated retail zones and promotional events to showcase export-quality goods.
Source: Fibre2fashion
The Egyptian Ministry of Industry and Transport has announced the launch of two integrated textile cities in Wadi Al-Saririya, Minya, and North Fayoum, as per a statement.
The cities will be established in partnership with the private sector through the industrial developer system, covering a total area of 11 million square meters, with each city occupying 5.5 million square meters.
Minister of Industry and Transport Kamel El-Wazir stated that the Wadi Al-Saririya city in Minya will be the first textile city in Upper Egypt, with an investment of EGP 12 billion.
The second city in North Fayoum will cost EGP 15 billion.
These cities will be designed to serve as models for industrial cities specializing in the textile industry, including service and logistics zones.
Source: Zawya
