INTERNATIONAL
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In a celebration that intertwines art, culture, and history, the Ministry of Textiles is honouring traditional handloom artisans as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. The occasion serves as evidence of the government's dedication to safeguarding and strengthening the rich tradition of handloom workmanship in the country. The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) students were instrumental in illuminating the mesmerising Narayanpet Saree Cluster as part of the cluster initiative, which features a special partnership between the Ministry and the institute. In recent years, India's handlooms have garnered global attention, with dignitaries showcasing their admiration for the traditional looms during the recently organized G20 Summit. The art of handlooms is a precious heritage that deserves cherishing, preserving, and promoting to the fullest extent possible. Proud Indians hold the responsibility of elevating their artisans to an international platform, allowing them to share their love and passion for this art form with millions of people worldwide. "Today's students are committed to bring a fresh ray of hope to the handloom sector. They want to learn our traditional art forms and present them on global platforms in unique ways. The cluster initiative is an inspiring initiative, and we are delighted to see the enthusiasm of the students," Dr. Shakeel Iqbal, Associate Professor and Centre Coordinator, DFT, National Institute of Fashion Technology, Hyderabad. Narayanpet Cotton sarees are made in the Narayanpet town of Telangana. These sarees have a distinct influence of both the Andhra and Maharashtra regions. In the erstwhile eras, Narayanpet sarees were offered to deities or were worn by royalties in the Maharashtra region. The bright and beautiful colours of these sarees coupled with traditional borders are unique to these sarees. The making of these handloom sarees is described as a unique process wherein eight sarees are made in one go on the loom. Therefore, instead of standard 7 yards of fabric which are generally mounted on the loom, about 56 yards of Silk are mounted, all at a single time. The Ministry of Textiles, in collaboration with NIFT, recognised the immense talent and potential of the NIFT students in contributing to further strengthening India's handloom legacy. As a part of their cluster initiative programme, NIFT students engaged with the local artisans in the Narayanpet cluster. Under the guidance of skilled artisans, they witnessed the meticulous craftsmanship, experiencing the essence of this timeless art form first-hand. As we approach National Handloom Day, the Ministry of Textiles celebrates the ingenuity and creativity of NIFT students, who have become torchbearers in illuminating India's handloom legacy at the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav's Narayanpet cluster. Their dedication and passion for preserving traditional crafts complement the government's vision of fostering self-reliance and empowering local artisans. The Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav pays a fitting tribute to the skilled artisans and NIFT students, reinforcing India's commitment to nurturing its invaluable handloom legacy and weaving a resplendent tapestry of tradition and modernity.
Source: Deccan Chronicle
The fabric flapping in the wind flashed stories of weaving art and textiles, contemporary and modern, as the 'Textiles & Accessories' exhibition organised at Mayor Ramachandra Centre in the city showcased saris from various parts of the country. The Crafts Council of India (CCI) held the exhibition for two days, ending on Saturday. At the first stall, a beautiful red sari on display flaunted designs of three yogis - , , and Shiva - woven in a shimmery golde thread along with a chant. A young man at the stall was draping a sari casually across his shoulder and caressing the fabric. As TOI approached, Jithendra Behera from Odisha said most of his childhood was about culture and mythology, as is evident from the exhibits on display at his stall. For him, art is about being disciplined and yogic. "Yogic is all about seva (service). My seva is to bring the stories of Jagannath (God) and Lakshmi (Goddess) in my saris, to revive the folklore and rich heritage of Orissa through Jala technique (of weaving) and Pattachithra (cloth-based scroll painting)," he said. "Hence the brand name Yogic Poshak." For Vimor, a brand committed to reviving temple designs, it's about aesthetics and the stories intertwined in the threads of the woven saris. "If these touch our hearts, we will be all over that sari," said Vipra, who runs the brand along with her mother from Bengaluru. "Though our idea of fashion has evolved with modern times since the brand was started by my grandmother, we are still hooked to the traditional beauty of designs," she said. Showcasing various art forms from Kantha to paithini, shibori to pattachithra, the exhibition of CCI is sought after across the country. CCI secretary E Raheswari said this year is special as the exhibition is an ode to National Handloom Day (August 7). "The beauty of Chennai people lies in their curiosity to know the art. Unlike in other cities, people here, apart from shopping, want to understand the work that goes into weaving a sari," she said. Asha Ravi, executive committee member of CCI, said, "This fundraiser gives a lot of importance to youngsters who are into revivals."
Source: Times of India
Top ministers and officials of India and the European Union will meet on the sidelines of the G-20 trade ministers meeting in the last week of August to discuss the state of negotiations of the proposed free trade agreement (FTA) and to speed up the talks, a senior official said. While trade ministers’ meeting is in Jaipur on August 24 and 25, the bilateral ones will be held in New Delhi. “There will be a ministerial-level on August 26 in the national capital between India and the EU. Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal is also likely to meet EU director general for trade Sabine Weyand in Jaipur,” the official said. So far, five rounds of discussions have been held on the FTA, the last one being in June. In the fifth round, modalities for exchange of market access offers in goods and government procurement were finalised, negotiations on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) chapter has concluded and the textual part of government procurement chapter has also been agreed in principle. India and the 27-nation bloc resumed negotiations on the FTA on June 17 last year after a gap of over eight years. The first attempt at FTA with the EU was made in 2007 and after many rounds of discussions the progress stalled in 2013 due to differences on issues of tariffs on automobiles, wines and spirits and freer movement of professionals. Brexit (exit of UK from EU) further complicated matters. The proposal for FTA was drawn afresh and discussions began again.India’s merchandise exports to the EU increased to $ 74.5 billion in 2022-23 from about $65 billion in 2021-22. Imports too rose to $60 billion in FY23 from $51.4 billion in 2021-22. The EU accounts for about 17% of India’s total exports and about 8.5% of the country’s total imports.
Source: Financial express
The textiles and handloom of India are as inseparable to India as air is to breathing. Indian handlooms are popular all around the world for its colorful appearance as well as its seasonal functionality. The ministry of Textiles has organized an educational initiative on the occasion of 9th National Handloom Day . The #Knowyourweaves initiative is an attempt to introduce and enlighten the young minds of the country to the handloom cultures. The annual exhibition is being held at three locations from August 4 to August 14 at the National Crafts Museum in Pragati Maidan, Dilli Haat, INA and Handloom Haat,Janpath. The entry is free for all textile and cultural enthusiasts attending at Pragati Maidan & Handloom Haat. The exhibition is a collaboration of education and culture. The museum showcases the varied weaves that are worn through the Indian subcontinent that include Chanderi , Jamdani, Ikat, Banarasi Shikargah, Telia Rumal amongst others. The students of schools and colleges are the special guests of this exhibition as it takes them on a cultural journey across the states and its handlooms. As an aspiring design student Tejaswini was especially excited about the information it gave about Indian textiles and the various looms used. ” This was a mesmerizing experience for me and my friends as it showed us how looms work, told us more about backstrap loom. It will help me develop my design bent of mind and help me do better for my country” , she quoted. The exhibition also brings traditional artisans and weavers who have been making textiles for generations to interact and talk about the process of handloom making. Nafees Ahmed and his family have been making Banarasi Saris for more than three generations and their children continue to take this art forward. “The handloom machine or hathkargha as it is known in hindi takes around six months to make a single saree. With the advent of the newer technologies, work has been affected but people continue to get banarasi sarees made and worn across the country” , he shared. The students were also educated about the textile made from the natural dyes and how they have been used since 3000 BC by Badshah Miyan , who has been teaching about natural dyes and fabrics for years now. He explains about the art of using natural dyes as color. ” There is a chemistry of color which also explains how different colors were used by different people in the past and it all works like a logical science. ” As the students move forward they are taken on a walk which explains the process of how threads are made , its progress though the charkha, process of preparing the thread for the loom and nally warping the charkha. This journey is made exciting for the students as they are given knowledge currency throughout this process. This helps the students to recall these cultural elements and retain these for practical knowledge in the future.
Source: the Statesman
Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution and Textiles, Shri Piyush Goyal emphasized upon the need for enhanced collaboration and trust-building between India and the Latin American & Caribbean (LAC) region. While addressing the Special Ministerial Session at the ‘9th CII India-LAC Conclave’ held yesterday in New Delhi, the Minister said that India and LAC region share cultural ties and have emerged out of the shadows of colonial past. Shri Goyal said that India is keen for faster economic growth through enhanced trade and investment, integration of businesses through collaborations and Free Trade Agreements (FTA). He presented a comprehensive four-point agenda aimed at fostering deeper cooperation between India and LAC region: For boosting trade flows, Shri Goyal advocated for the formulation of a well-structured roadmap that capitalizes on the comparative and competitive strengths of each country. He said that this strategic approach would facilitate the augmentation of trade flows between India and the LAC nations. He said that India and the LAC region must work towards larger Global South cooperation in various multilateral forums. To leverage bilateral partnership, the Minister highlighted the potential for bilateral collaboration to stimulate greater investment inflows. He emphasized upon the importance of integrating supply chains, particularly in sectors such as tourism, hospitality, and healthcare. Shri Goyal said that by pooling resources, India and the LAC region can develop cost-effective solutions with global implications. For healthcare and pharmaceuticals cooperation, the Minister underlined the significance of mutual recognition agreements in the pharmaceutical sector, coupled with the adoption of smarter regulatory practices. Shri Goyal said that this approach aims to prevent reliance on high-cost medicines and paves the way for collaborative solutions to complex challenges. To address global issues, the Minister conveyed his belief that collective efforts between India and the LAC region could lead to innovative solutions for even the most intricate global problems. Shri Goyal said that contemporary global challenges call for all of us to work together by forging partnerships, integrating supply chains and utilising our mineral resources, technology, skills, labour force, etc. in a collaborative manner. The Minister said that this would help address challenges of poverty, climate change, inequality, etc. Shri Piyush Goyal highlighted India's aspiration to achieve a USD 35 trillion economy by 2047 under the leadership of the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi. He expressed his confidence that this ambitious goal would open up numerous avenues for robust India-LAC partnerships, which could serve as a catalyst for positive global impact. The Minister invited the LAC nations to join the development journey of India to work together as trusted partners and expand shared interests. Shri Goyal said that India and the LAC region must work together towards making the world a better place for the future generations. The Minister said that efforts must be made to build an atmosphere of trust and work towards exponential growth of trade between India and the LAC region. He highlighted that infrastructural development, digital connectivity, strong macroeconomic fundamentals, etc. along with demographic dividend presents India as a leading partner for economic growth. The session featured insights from various dignitaries from the LAC region: H.E. Johann Álvarez, Vice Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment Promotion, Ministry of Popular Power of Economy and Finance and Foreign Trade, Venezuela; H.E. Mr. Alexandre Corona Quintero, Governor of the People’s Power of the Cienfuegos Province, Republic of Cuba; H.E. Mr. Samuel Alejandro García Sepúlveda, Governor of Nuevo Leon State, Government of Mexico; H.E. Mr. Rodolfo Pastor de Maria y Campos, Secretary of State in the office of the Presidency, Republic of Honduras; H.E. Mr. Henry Charles Fernandez, Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Transportation and Investment, the Government of Antigua & Barbuda; H.E. Mr. Sergio Armando Cusicanqui Loayza, Minister of Development Planning, Plurinational State of Bolivia; and H.E. Mr. Andy Joseph Williams, Minister for Mobilisation, Implementation and Transformation, Government of Grenada. Overall, the session underscored the shared vision of India and the LAC region to forge closer ties, capitalize on each other's strengths, and collectively contribute to global welfare and progress. The ‘9th CII India-LAC Conclave’ encompassed discussions across 12 distinct sectors, embodying the overarching theme of 'Furthering Economic Partnerships for Shared & Sustainable Growth.' This theme underscores the collective goal of nurturing strong and lasting economic ties for mutual prosperity. Under the trade and investment outreach strategy of the Department of Commerce, the CII India-LAC Conclave is scaled up with the collaboration of Invest India, Export Promotion Councils such as EEPC, Pharmexcil, Chemexcil, ESC, ACMA and SIAM. On the sidelines of the Conclave, the Department of Commerce hosted bilateral meetings with the Latin American and Caribbean countries.
Source: PIB
High-level meetings between India and the European Union (EU) will be held this month to take stock of the progress of talks on the proposed free trade agreement, according to an official. “The EU officials are coming for the G20 trade ministers meeting this month in Jaipur. There is a high-level meeting at the minister level on August 26 in the national capital between India and the EU. “Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal is also likely to meet EU Director General for Trade Sabine Weyand in Jaipur,” the official added. These meetings would give an impetus to the ongoing negotiations between the two sides on the free trade agreement (FTA).The G20 Trade and Investment Ministerial Meeting, under India’s G20 Presidency, is scheduled at Jaipur on August 24-25. So far, five rounds of talks have been held on the agreement. India and the 27-nation bloc resumed negotiations on June 17 last year after a gap of over eight years on the proposed agreements on trade, investments and Geographical Indications (GI). India had started negotiations for a trade pact with the EU in 2007, but the talks stalled in 2013 as both sides failed to reach an agreement on key issues, including customs duties on automobiles and spirits and the movement of professionals.India’s merchandise exports to EU member countries have increased to $74.5 billion in 2022-23 from $about $65 billion in 2021-22. Imports also rose to $60 billion in 2022-23 from $51.4 billion in 2021-22. The European Union accounts for about 17 per cent of India’s total exports and about 8.5 per cent of the country’s total imports. A GI is primarily an agricultural, natural or manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory. Typically, such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness, which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin. Besides greater market access for its products like textiles, leather, gems and jewellery, the Indian industry is looking for easy access for skilled professionals in the EU markets. On the other hand, the EU side has an interest in areas like auto, digital trade, data protection, sustainability and financial services sectors like banking and insurance. Earlier, India asked the European Union to lift restrictions on the flow of sophisticated outsourcing business to India following the status of a data-secure country.
Source: Millennium post
It’s a new chapter in Tamil Nadu’s MSME saga. With a fivefold increase in budgetary allocation in four years, the state government has a multi-pronged strategy to ensure MSMEs benefit from big-ticket investments in sectors such as electronics, electric vehicles, green energy, semi-conductors, pharmaceuticals and defence. “In the first quarter of FY24, the state received $1.5 billion in investments, which is up from $1.2 billion in the same quarter of the previous year,” says Ar Rm Arun, president, Southern India Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SICCI). “This investment will surely lead to an increase in demand for goods and services produced by MSMEs,” he adds. While that trickle down happens organically, the state government is looking at new segments to attract investments and generate employment. “In terms of subsidy we are sector agnostic when it comes to MSMEs, but we are doing a targeted study on aerospace and electric vehicles,” says MSME secretary V Arun Roy. That focus ties in with what local industry bodies are also working towards. For instance, the Coimbatore District Small Scale Industries Association (CODISSIA) is working towards an EV and defence parts manufacturing hub since the state has been declared a southern corridor for defence manufacturing, says its director M V Ramesh Babu. Similarly, with recent investments such as that by Foxconn, the electronics sector is expecting thrust from the electronics manufacturing clusters 2.0 scheme. Under it, two EMCs are being planned in Tamil Nadu – one in Hosur and the other in Coimbatore, says Krishna Moorthy K, CEO & president, India Electronics & Semiconductor Association (IESA). This will be a big plus since currently the big electronic clusters are in Sri City and Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh. “Typically, the multiplier effect of a big investment on the MSME eco-system is 3-5 times, which becomes visible over a period of three years once the OEM investment comes in,” he adds. This helps neutralise the pinch faced by some traditional MSME segments such as spinning and garments. “Coimbatore’s spinning units are not doing well because of slowdown in Europe and the central government’s decision to impose 11% duty on cotton yarn,” says Ramesh Babu. But with electronics sub segments such as EV-related parts doing well, some of that pain is mitigated. For the government, the new focus area is food processing. “In food processing, it is possible to do better with existing resources, which is why we will begin stakeholder consultation from this month. We will prioritise food processing with subsidies,” says Roy. The other critical component of the government’s MSME strategy is a cluster focus. This not only ensures subsidy allocation across a plethora of sunrise sectors but also spreads out industrial development across the state (see table). “Overall cluster development got substantial assistance with 28 small and two big clusters supported last year including the pharma park in Tindivanam, which received `55 crore assistance, and the engineering cluster that received `33 crore,” says Roy. The cluster approach is resource efficient since it helps the government cover more companies than subsidy schemes. Tamil Nadu currently has around 50 lakh MSMEs but all the subsidy schemes put together can cover only 10,000-odd companies. What are the pain points? “In sectors such as textiles, coir and fibres, the situation is quite dire and there are challenges in accessing finance, input cost is high, access to global supply chains is poor, and there are compliance & environmental issues. These are hampering the growth of the MSMEs,” says SICCI’s Ar Rm Arun. While some remedial action is underway, sometimes the issue is one of competition or structural problems, which require more broad-spectrum solutions. For instance, Coimbatore’s pump sector, an MSME mainstay, is suffering because of new competition. “With Gujarat emerging as a pump manufacturing hub, Coimbatore is facing stiff competition,” says CODISSIA’s Ramesh Babu. Industry wants the government to analyse the problems sector by sector, draft the needed strategies and implement them effectively. “We should not be relying only on the trickle-down effects of investments,” adds Arun.
Source: Times of India
INTERNATIONAL
US fashion companies urged the early renewal of a trade program that allows thousands of African products to enter the world’s biggest economy duty free, saying that a longer-term arrangement would boost investment in the region. US officials have stated that the African Growth and Opportunity Act, which was first passed in 2000, may be updated or its eligibility requirements revised before it expires in 2025. In a recent poll, more than 45 per cent of participants warned that the uncertainty surrounding renewal had caused them to restrict their sourcing from AGOA members. About 60 per cent of respondents said that AGOA’s transient character hindered them “from making longterm investments and sourcing commitments in the region.” The US Fashion Industry Association and Sheng Lu, an associate professor of fashion and apparel studies at the University of Delaware, polled 30 chief executives of major US garment companies to get to this conclusion. In the event that the trade programme is not renewed by June of next year, another 45 per cent anticipate reducing sourcing. In order to encourage investment throughout the continent, South Africa asked the US administration to take an early extension of the programme into consideration last week. About 40 per cent of survey participants consider AGOA to be “essential” when selecting whether to purchase from program-eligible nations. According to a US International Trade Commission (USITC) assessment from April, the top exporters of apparel under the AGOA in 2021 will be Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, and Mauritius. Exports in that year were US $ 1.4 billion, up from US $ 939 million in 2001, according to the report. Uncertainty about apparel-provision renewals in AGOA slowed growth in apparel trade from benefiting nations, the USITC found.
Source: Apparel Resources
An annual assessment on the apparel business that examined over 300 clothing brands’ key performance factors reveals Zara as the leading retailer in the space. Salience Search Marketing’s analysis examined eleven key performance metrics, including as brand recognition and trends in visibility search volume year over year. The study determined the owned social score and examined monthly searches for each company to identify the top five brands in the industry: Zara, M&S, H&M, NEXT, and Boohoo. According to the research, Zara leads the market in terms of brand recognition with over 91 million social media followers and a sizable 1,830,000 brand searches monthly. Additionally, a meme account for the apparel line’s well-known ‘unusual poses’ emerged, increasing brand recognition. With more than 8 million social media followers and 5,000,000 brand searches each month, Marks & Spencer is the second most well-known brand in the industry. Despite claims that e-commerce is declining, there has been a 7 per cent increase in organic growth overall within the industry, indicating that consumers are still eager to shop online. The survey also uncovered the trends that motivate web searches. For instance, there has been a 169 per cent surge in searches for ‘Stussy hoodie.’ Brett Janes, Managing Director at Salience Search Marketing, commented, “This report saw Salience conduct its biggest analysis yet as over 300 clothing brands were assessed. As a whole, it has been a positive year for the industry, with a 7% increase in organic growth and a sizeable volume of searches and visibility.”
Source: Apparel Resources
The world's oceans set a temperature record in the past week, with their surface hitting 20.96 C (69.7 F), climate observatory data showed on Friday. Ocean surface temperature reached 20.96C on July 30, according to the ERA5 database, while the previous record was 20.95C in March 2016, a spokeswoman said. Oceans have absorbed 90% of the excess heat produced by human activity since the dawn of the industrial age, according to scientists. Globally, the average ocean temperature has been besting seasonal heat records on a regular basis since April. "The ocean heatwave is an immediate threat to some marine life. We are already seeing coral bleaching in Florida," said Piers Forster of the International Centre for Climate at the University of Leeds.
Source: Times of India
