Textiles sector eyes zero tariffs in India-US trade

The move could double India's exports of apparel to the US, experts urge Centre

- Dhirendra Kumar

Zero for zero is the buzzword in India's textile and apparel industry as sector leaders urged the government to push for nil tariffs either way for trade between India and the US.

Such a move, coming in the backdrop of the US increasing tariffs on some countries, is seen as something that could move the needle towards India in its textile and apparel exports to the world's second-largest market.

According to Prabhu Dhamodharan, convenor of the Indian Texpreneurs Federation (ITF), India's current 5.9% share in US apparel imports could increase to 10% if zero-duty access is secured.

"Zero-for-zero duty is the textile industry's wish, and if we get that, nothing could be better for the industry," Dhamodharan told Mint over phone.

The industry inputs come in the backdrop of an India team camping in Washington to thrash out a bilateral trade agreement (BTA) with the US that would seek to avoid reciprocal tariffs on critical goods such as textiles, engineering goods, drugs and pharmaceuticals, and electronics goods.