Indian Textile Industry In The Global Market

The textile and apparel sector is a major sector globally. Since the initial stages of global industrialisation, this sector has remained at the forefront of generating employment and has featured prominently in the export market of many developed economies.

- Deya Bhattacharjee

Export

Cotton plays an important role in the Indian economy as the country’s textile industry is predominantly cotton based. India has emerged as the largest producer of cotton in the world with the production of 345 lakh bales in 2016-17 and is presently the second largest exporter after China.

End products

Cotton yarn, clothes, and apparels (mill made/ handlooms) and readymade garments form important items of Indian exports. Readymade garments account for approximately 49% of the country’s total textile exports.

Location of Manufacturing

The states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Telengana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Punjab are the major cotton producers in India. Some of the important manufacturing centres such as Ahmedabad, Solapur, Nagpur, Coimbatore, and Indore are located in areas of large scale cotton cultivation. Mumbai is the largest centre in India having 63 mills out of Maharashtra’s total of 122 mills. The growth of this industry in Coimbatore, Madurai and Tirunelveli is largely due to the availability of hydro-electricity from the Pykara Dam. Additionally, these states enjoy a humid climate which is essential for the cotton production and also have the added benefit of having a port facility.

Export Destinations