Commerce Ministry Initiates Task Force Meetings for Textile Exports Aiming for $100 Billion by FY31

The Commerce Ministry has initiated discussions within the task force on Textiles Exports aimed at reaching an export target of $100 billion by FY 2030-31.

In FY 2023-24, India exported textile products valued at $34.4 billion, with apparel making up 42% of the export portfolio, followed closely by raw materials/semi-finished goods at 34% and finished non-apparel items at 30%.

This sector is the second largest generator of employment, following agriculture, providing direct jobs for over 45 million individuals, including women and those from rural areas. Approximately 80% of the sector’s capacity is concentrated in Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) clusters.
The inaugural meeting of the task force took place on June 10 under the leadership of Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal at Vanijya Bhawan in Delhi. The focus was on addressing issues and strategizing to boost textiles exports from India.

Topics discussed included the effects of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), enhancing e-commerce for export expansion, the need for separate HS codes for GI products, simplifying the regulatory framework, increasing cost competitiveness for productivity improvements, skilling efforts, and recommendations for Interest Subvention Schemes.

Special Secretary in the Department of Commerce, Rajesh Agrawal, emphasized the necessity of innovation to capture a larger share of the export market based on recent trends, while Special Secretary L Satya Srinivas highlighted the sector as a priority area for government focus.

While the government is negotiating Trade Agreements with various nations to eliminate tariff disadvantages, he encouraged the industry to devise strategies for more effective utilization of FTAs.

The meeting addressed concerns across the entire textiles value chain, including skilling, labor, cost competitiveness, renewable energy usage, sustainability, manufacturing scale, existing government schemes, Quality Control Orders, logistics, promotion of GI products, productivity improvements of natural fibers like jute, and matters related to the Export Promotion Mission being established by the Department of Commerce.