17 February 2025, Mumbai
Apparel exporters have expressed their gratitude towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his inspiring address at the 'Textiles Samvad' during Bharat Tex 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Sudhir Sekhri, Chairman of the Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC), conveyed the industry's commitment to realizing the Prime Minister’s vision of transforming India into a developed nation by 2027.
He highlighted the government's ongoing support for the employment-intensive garment sector, particularly empowering MSMEs and women. Notably, around 80 per cent of garment manufacturers are MSMEs, with women constituting 80 per cent of the workforce.
Sekhri endorsed the Prime Minister's call for India to lead globally in adopting sustainable practices and promoting Fashion for Environment and Empowerment. The garment industry, he stated, is already ahead of many developed countries in embracing recycling, waste management, and sustainability, which are deeply ingrained in its operations.
Bharat Tex has quickly become a key platform for collaboration across the textile value chain, creating new opportunities for partnerships between upstream and downstream industries. The recent Union Budget 2025-26 has further supported this growth, with government-backed credit for MSMEs and measures to tackle tariff and non-tariff barriers, enhancing ease of doing business.
Sekhri also praised the Prime Minister's emphasis on skill development, noting how many women workers have risen socioeconomically through skill acquisition. He welcomed the PM's call for prioritizing MSME credit for capacity expansion and encouraged partnerships with institutions like IIT to foster innovation and the startup ecosystem.
