Congress Criticizes Government for Declining Garment Exports Compared to Bangladesh and Vietnam

The Congress party criticized the Indian government for allowing Bangladesh and Vietnam to surpass India in garment exports over the last decade. Citing data from the Global Trade Research Initiative, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh noted that India's garment exports fell from USD 15 billion in 2013-14 to USD 14.5 billion in 2023-24. He accused the government of neglect, despite previous promises to boost labor-intensive sectors.

On Thursday, the Congress party launched a scathing attack on the government over reports that Bangladesh and Vietnam have overtaken India's garment exports in the past decade. Alleging negligence, the Congress claimed the Centre was 'sleeping at the wheel.'

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh shared a news report citing Global Trade Research Initiative data, which claimed that India's garment exports for 2023-24 stood at USD 14.5 billion, down from USD 15 billion in 2013-14.

Ramesh emphasized the irony, noting that Finance Minister had previously lauded labor-intensive sectors as vital for job creation. 'In 2013-14, India's garment exports were USD 15 billion, second only to China. By 2023-24, they had declined to USD 14.5 billion,' he pointed out. Ramesh stressed that Vietnam and Bangladesh have far outpaced India's growth in this sector, calling the situation a clear case of self-strangulation due to government inaction.