The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has announced the renaming of the Silk & Rayon Textiles Export Promotion Council to the Manmade and Technical Textiles Export Promotion Council (MATEXIL). The change has been incorporated in Appendix 2T of the FTP 2023, which outlines the list of Export Promotion Councils, Commodity Boards, and Export Development Authorities authorized to issue Registration-Cum-Membership Certificates (RCMCs). According to the notification, this rebranding is intended to better reflect the scope and focus of the council, especially with the increasing prominence of manmade and technical textiles in India’s export basket.
Alongside the name change, the council’s contact details have also been updated. The new address remains the same—Resham Bhavan, 78, Veer Nariman Road, Churchgate, Mumbai – 400020—but the contact numbers and email addresses have been revised. Exporters can now reach MATEXIL at +91-22-62318282 or via email at ed@matexil.org and info@matexil.org. The council’s official website has also changed to www.matexil.org.
Source: Jurishours.in
As of March 2025, India’s Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme is advancing in 14 important sectors, attracting a total of Rs. 1.76 lakh crore (US $ 20.54 billion) in investments and producing and selling goods valued at Rs. 16.5 lakh crore (US $ 192.54 billion), according to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Official data also shows that the plan has generated over 12 lakh direct and indirect jobs. The Centre has provided Rs. 21,534 crore (US $ 2.51 billion) in PLI incentives for 12 industries, including the textile industry, to help spur this expansion. With a budgetary investment of Rs. 10,683 crore (US $ 1.25 billion), the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for textiles seeks to increase the manufacturing of technological textile goods, MMF fabrics, and MMF (Man-Made Fibre) clothing in India. Based on the incremental turnover obtained from FY 2024-25 to FY 2028-29, the scheme will offer incentives for five years, from FY 2025-26 to FY 2029-30, starting on the date of notice. The PLI Schemes have significantly impacted a number of Indian industries, including exports, employment creation, production growth, and home manufacturing. For the textile industry, MMF textile exports increased to US $ 6 billion in FY 2024–2025 from US $ 5.7 billion, while technical textile exports increased to US $ 3.36 billion from US $ 2.99 billion in FY 2024–2025. During the Production Linked Incentive Scheme review meeting, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal emphasised the importance of achieving self-sufficiency in the primary industries covered by the PLI Scheme. Goyal emphasised that the Ministries should work with NICDC to address infrastructure bottlenecks and create quality trained labour rather than quantity. He also emphasised the importance of building a five-year investment and disbursement framework.
Source: Apparel Resource
The Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) and the Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council ( Texprocil) have expressed concern over reports that the U.S. may levy up to 26% reciprocal tariff from July 9. AEPC chairman Sudhir Sekhri and Texprocil chairman Vijay Agarwal had met Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal regarding the concerns related to the proposed India-U.S. Bilateral Trade Agreement. “They expressed concern over the potential ramifications for the labour-intensive textile and clothing sector because of the potential reciprocal tariff,” according to a press release. Apparel and home textiles are among the leading export products to the U.S. and will be disproportionately affected by any tariff hike. The press release said the Minister assured the delegation that the government was committed to protecting labour-intensive sectors in the ongoing negotiations under the India-U.S. Bilateral Trade Agreement.
Source: The Hindu
New Delhi: Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has assured industry bodies that the government will protect the interests of the textiles and apparel sector in the proposed trade agreement with the US, AEPC said on Friday. Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) Chairman Sudhir Sekhri said he, along with TEXPROCIL (Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council) Chairman Vijay Agarwal, met the minister to apprise him of key concerns related to the proposed agreement. "The minister gave a patient hearing to the concerns raised and assured the delegation that the government is committed to protection. "The minister gave a patient hearing to the concerns raised and assured the delegation that the government is committed to protecting labour-intensive sectors during the ongoing negotiations under the India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement," the council said in a statement.
The minister also reiterated that all necessary steps would be taken to ensure that India's interests, especially those of vulnerable sectors like textiles and apparel, are safeguarded. It further said that if the US will go ahead with the additional 26 per cent reciprocal tariffs on India then it would have serious implications for the sector's exports to America. Both the heads of the two councils expressed deep concern over the potential ramifications for the labour-intensive textile and clothing sector, which is a major contributor to India's export economy and employment, AEPC said. They highlighted that apparel and home textiles are among the leading export categories to the US and would be disproportionately affected by any tariff hike. "They also drew attention to the likely consequences in terms of decline in exports and job losses, particularly in MSME segments and rural employment clusters," it added. The Trump administration has suspended the 26 per cent tariff on Indian goods till July 9. India's apparel exports to the US stood at USD 5 billion in 2024-25. Indian official team is in Washington for the next round of trade talks.
Source: The Economic Times
India and the US are engaged in intense trade negotiations to finalize a pact before the July 9 deadline, addressing contentious issues like tariffs and market access. While progress has been made, disagreements persist on matters such as patent laws and agricultural imports. Hectic discussions are ongoing between India and the US to clinch a trade pact ahead of the July 9 deadline when the 90-day pause period for Washington's retaliatory tariffs comes to an end. Indian and American trade negotiators have managed to find closure on many issues, and Indian trade officials have extended their visit to the US to conclude the talks.
Source: The Economic Times
The GOIStats mobile application, launched by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, aims to enhance accessibility to official data, featuring key socioeconomic indicators. This initiative, coinciding with the 19th Statistics Day, underscores technology's role in transforming India's statistical system. The ministry also released reports on sustainable development goals, highlighting progress and persistent challenges across various sectors.
Source: The Economic Times
India's ban on ships carrying Pakistani goods from anchoring at its ports has increased freight charges and transit time, according to a media report. Following the Pahalgam terror attack, India imposed a comprehensive ban, effective May 2, 2025, on the direct or indirect import or transit of goods originating in or exported from Pakistan.Pakistani importers said the Indian ban has resulted in longer shipping times and higher freight charges, Dawn newspaper reported on Sunday. Mother vessels are not coming to Pakistan due to this Indian action, which delays our imports by 30 to 50 days, said Javed Bilwani, President of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Exporters also reported a spike in shipping and insurance costs following the Indian ban. However, they said the overall impact on exports remains minimal, the paper reported.
There is no significant impact on exports..., except for a rise in insurance costs. Shipping charges had already gone up even before the escalation, said Aamir Aziz, an exporter of textile made-ups. Pakistan's exports are heavily reliant on imported inputs for value addition. With the government maintaining tight controls on imports to conserve foreign exchange, any disruption in supply chains has broader economic implications, the paper said. The India-Pakistan trade relations soured after the Pulwama terror attack, following which India raised the import duty to 200 per cent on all goods imported from Pakistan. Formal trade relations between Pakistan and India have remained frozen since 2019, and bilateral trade declined from USD 2.41 billion in 2018 to USD 1.2 billion in 2024. Pakistan's exports to India decreased from USD 547.5 million in 2019 to just USD 480,000 in 2024.
Source: Business Standard
Ludhiana: The textile industry of Ludhiana, a city long hailed as the powerhouse of India's hosiery and knitwear sector, is facing an urgent need for reinvention amid rising global competition, bureaucratic red tape, and lack of govt support. These concerns, alongside future opportunities, were the focus of an event organised by the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) along with ITMA. Titled "Challenges and opportunities in the Ludhiana textile industry," the event saw key industry leaders, experts, and association heads, including representatives from the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI), United Cycle and Parts Manufacturers Association (UCPMA), and the Knitwear Club. Jagbir Singh Sokhi, president of the Ludhiana Sewing Machine Technology Park Association, said, "We are no longer those self-reliant Indians. We've become copycats, proud to own iPhones and imported brands, but where is the pride in our own innovations? Where is the spirit of ‘vocal for local'?" A recurring theme throughout the conference was the alarming lack of innovation. Sokhi pointed out how Punjab once led the world in sewing machine production, but in just two decades, Chinese brands like Zach have taken over 75% of the Indian market share. "They've even handed over machines to local tailors, collecting only a share of their earnings. We are now OE (original equipment) manufacturers for foreign brands, but where is our own brand identity?" he asked. Vinod Thapar, chairman of the Knitwear Club, emphasised challenges in attracting women to the workforce. A survey conducted jointly by UNIDO and the Knitwear Club years ago found that women excelled in the hosiery sector across countries like China, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. Yet, Ludhiana has only 10% female participation in the sector, leaving a 40% vacuum in workforce potential. Thapar also raised concerns about a lack of workplace infrastructure and facilities for women. Avtar Singh Bhogal, senior vice-president of UCPMA, was blunt in his comparison of Indian and Chinese industrial environments. "While we are stuck in red tape just to buy land or get clearances, Chinese companies are already producing and exporting finished goods at the price it costs us to manufacture just the components." He added that Indian bikes weigh 15 kg, while the demand in Europe is for 1.5 kg carbon fibre bikes, which India is ill-equipped to produce due to lack of infrastructure and technology. Rajesh Bansal, another industry figure, focused on the environmental compliance costs that have hamstrung local manufacturers. "We face serious pollution concerns, but where are the subsidies for effluent treatment equipment? Processing of fibre and fabric manufacturing is lagging due to poor support," he said. Chandrika Chatterjee, secretary general of CITI, provided some optimism by speaking about the PM MITRA scheme and the Free Trade Agreement with the UK. She emphasised the untapped potential for increasing Indo-UK textile trade, which currently stands at $10 billion but could expand by an additional $4–5 billion. "The world is looking beyond China and Bangladesh. India has a real opportunity here, if we can address the bottlenecks," she said. Highlighting the urgency to foster innovation and startups in the sector, Suraj Dhawan of ITMA suggested organising hackathons to crowdsource fresh ideas and solutions for industry pain points. Sidharth Khanna, chairman of NITMA, and other senior members pointed out the need for deeper collaboration between govt bodies and the private sector to overcome export barriers and technology gaps.
Source: Times of India
India has banned the import of certain jute products and woven fabrics from Bangladesh through land routes, according to a notification issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) on Friday. The import of these items will now be permitted only via the Nhava Sheva seaport in Maharashtra, reported PTI. This move follows an earlier decision on May 17, when India imposed port restrictions on the import of goods such as readymade garments and processed food items from Bangladesh. The restricted goods include jute products, Songkran flax yarn, single yarn of jute, multiple folded yarn, woven flex fabrics, and unbleached woven jute fabrics.
Source: The Economic Times
DHAKA, June 29, 2025 (BSS) - Pakistan can meet the growing demands of its recycling industry by importing garment industry waste (textile waste) from Bangladesh, said Mahmud Hasan Khan Babu, President of the BGMEA here today. He said Bangladesh is the largest producer of jute in the world, and there is significant demand for Bangladeshi jute fibre in Pakistan. “If Pakistan imports jute fibre, it will be beneficial for both the countries,” said the BGMEA President. He made the remarks when Muhammad Wasif, Chargé d'Affaires of the Pakistan High Commission paid a courtesy visit to Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) office in Uttara today, said a BGMEA press release. Trade and Investment Attaché of the High Commission Zain Aziz, BGMEA Vice-President Md Rezwan Selim, and Directors Faisal Samad, Sumaiya Islam, and Fahima Akhter were present at the meeting. The meeting focused on strengthening and expanding trade ties between the two nations, particularly in the garment and textile sectors, and explored other potential areas of cooperation. The release said discussions included increasing textile imports from Pakistan and exporting ready-made garments and accessories from Bangladesh to Pakistan. Bangladesh has made notable progress in garment accessories production.
Both sides agreed to share knowledge, send business delegations, and collaborate on exhibitions and workshops.
They also discussed the implementation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) previously signed between the BGMEA and the Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PRGMEA) to promote bilateral trade. The BGMEA President emphasized that active involvement from business communities in both the countries is vital for the MoU’s implementation. Both parties agreed to appoint focal points to further accelerate trade and investment cooperation.
Source: Bss News
