From $1.08 billion during April-November 2024, India’s clothing imports are estimated to rise to $1.58 billion by FY2024-end.

Prabhu Dhamodharan, Convenor, Indian Texpreneurs Federation (ITF), informs, India mostly imported cotton clothing ($513 million) and synthetic fiber clothing ($375 million) during the April-November 2024 period. Additionally, it also imported knitted clothing worth $420 million, while woven clothing imports amounted to $529 million. The majority of this clothing was sourced countries like China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, he adds.

To reduce dependence on imports and address challenges related to pricing, quality, design and product variety, textile clusters in India need to collaborate with retailers, emphasises Damodharan. They need to improve their engagement with retailers for more effective alignment of their production with market demands, he adds.

Retail brands also need to boost collaboration with local producers in order to make their supply chains more resilient, notes Damodharan. This would help boost domestic manufacturing capabilities, he adds. Further, Dhamodharan urges domestic retailers to prioritize sourcing from within the country rather than relying on imported goods.