The Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) recently said that domestic exporters should aim to increase India’s share in Colombia’s total apparel imports by focusing on high value added products.
Speaking at an online event on ‘India-Colombia Synergies in Apparel and Textiles’, AEPC Chairman Narendra Goenka said that India’s share is only 3.2 percent in Colombia’s global apparel imports.
“We are looking at escalating this to some respectable figure in double digits. We are focusing on higher value and specialised products like man-made fibre (MMF) apparels, medical and technical textiles,” he said.
According to the council, though there has been a fall in imports of readymade garments (RMG) in Colombia, Indian RMG exports have been able to maintain its share in the Colombian market. While Colombia’s RMG import from the world fell from $652 mn in 2019 to $408 mn in 2020, India’s share in Colombia’s total apparel imports remained the same at 3.2 percent with $21 mn in 2019 and $13 mn in 2020, it said.
Goenka said that the Indian apparel sector offers a large opportunity for investment. “Colombian investors can also set up manufacturing facilities in India directly or through joint ventures, and partner with us in building R&D, innovation and incubation centres in India,” he said.
The textiles sector has attracted FDI worth $3.75 bn from April 2000 to March 2021.
Speaking at the event, Indian Ambassador to Colombia Sanjiv Ranjan said over a period of time, the popularity of Indian garments and textiles in Colombia has been increasing especially among women and this is an added advantage. “Concerted efforts would be required to reach the pre-pandemic level of exports of about $22 mn,” he said.
Cristhian Salamanca, Executive Director, Colombia-India Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that Indian companies are reliable partners with the Colombian firms.
