India-UAE free trade pact will boost exports of garment sector: AEPC

The free trade agreement between India and the UAE is giving duty free access to the garment sector and it will help increase share of domestic exports in that country, AEPC said in Tuesday.The Apparel Export Promotion Council AEPC said that over 20 domestic exporters are participating in the International Apparel and Textile Fair IATF in Dubai to showcase their products.

The free trade agreement between India and the UAE is giving duty free access to the garment sector and it will help increase share of domestic exports in that country, AEPC said in Tuesday.

The Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) said that over 20 domestic exporters are participating in the International Apparel and Textile Fair (IATF) in Dubai to showcase their products. Chairman Fair and Exhibitions AEPC Ashok Rajani said India is the second largest supplier of ready-made garments to the UAE after China.

''The UAE has traditionally been the topmost trading partner for Indian garment exports. With signing of the UAE-India CEPA agreement giving duty free access to Indian garment exports, this share is expected to increase further,'' he said.

CEPA stands for the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.

Talking about the exhibition, he said exporters are aiming to showcase the best of India's apparel designs and styles in line with the latest fashion trends in a wide range of traditional cotton and MMF (man made fibres) garments.

He added that the Fair opens huge business opportunities for the UAE clothing brands to source from India considering the strengths of the Indian garment industry in terms of variety of raw material availability and other things. Elaborating on the strengths of the garment industry, Rajani said, after having established itself in traditional garments, the Indian apparel industry has now moved on to diversifying itself into newer areas of MMF garments with a technical textiles segment worth USD 16 billion with 6 per cent share of the global market.