The Chairman of Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC), Sudhir Sekhri and Chairman of TEXPROCIL Vijay Agarwal met the Hon’ble Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, in New Delhi recently, to apprise him of key concerns related to the proposed India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement.
The meeting comes in the wake of recent reports suggesting that reciprocal tariffs of up to 26% may be imposed post the July 9 deadline, which could have a significant impact on India’s textile and apparel exports to the United States. The Chairmen 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.
During the discussions, the Chairmen 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.
The Hon’ble Minister gave a patient hearing to the concerns raised and assured the delegation that the Government is committed to protecting labor-intensive sectors during the ongoing negotiations under the India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement. He 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.
The interaction reflects the Government’s proactive approach in engaging with stakeholders and underscores its commitment to ensuring the sustained growth and global competitiveness of India’s textile and apparel sector.
