Solutionbuggy Team
Dec 2, 2024
AEPC Highlights India's Growing Demand for UK-Made Apparel and Potential for Trade Expansion
Summary
AEPC has highlighted the growing import opportunities for British apparel firms in India. With Bharat Tex 2025 set to take place next February, the event aims to attract UK participation, spotlighting India's textile industry advancements. In 2023, India's textile and apparel exports to the UK totaled USD 1.2 billion. Prominent UK brands like Marks & Spencer and Primark already source high-quality apparel from India, underscoring the potential for further trade expansion.
Overview
The Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) has highlighted the significant import opportunities available for British apparel firms in India, encouraging them to actively participate in the upcoming Bharat Tex 2025, a major textile event set for next year. AEPC Chairman Sudhir Sekhri pointed out that the UK, as a global fashion hub and the sixth-largest importer of apparel, imported apparel worth USD 20.27 billion in 2023. India, with its well-established and dynamic textile and apparel sector, has been a trusted supplier for the UK. In 2023 alone, India’s textile and apparel exports to the UK reached USD 1.2 billion, capturing a 6.14% share of the UK's overall textile and apparel market.
Sekhri also noted that exports of ready-made garments to the UK from India increased by 9.4% during the period from April to October 2024, further strengthening the trade relationship between the two countries. To build on this momentum and attract greater British participation in the Indian market, the AEPC organized a Bharat Tex Roadshow in London from November 27 to 29, where key stakeholders from both countries had the opportunity to explore partnership possibilities.
Several leading UK brands, including Marks & Spencer, Primark, Next, Burberry, Clarks, and JW Anderson, already source high-quality apparel and textile products from India. The growing demand for Indian-made textiles in the UK, combined with the ongoing improvements in India's textile manufacturing capabilities, makes India an increasingly attractive sourcing destination for British firms. The Bharat Tex 2025 event will provide a platform for further expanding trade ties and showcasing India’s advancements in the textile and apparel sector, presenting new opportunities for UK businesses to tap into the vast Indian market.
In conclusion, the Apparel Export Promotion Council's (AEPC) focus on the growing import opportunities for British apparel firms in India underscores the potential for expanding trade between the two nations. With the UK being one of the largest global apparel importers and India offering high-quality textile products, the prospects for deeper collaboration are promising. The successful Bharat Tex Roadshow and the upcoming Bharat Tex 2025 event serve as key platforms to strengthen these trade ties. As UK brands continue to source from India, the expanding market, coupled with India’s textile sector advancements, presents a wealth of opportunities for British firms to grow and diversify their sourcing strategies, contributing to mutually beneficial economic relations between the two countries.