The Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) organised a roundtable meeting in New Delhi recently on “Evolving Global Trade” in which the Council chairman A. Sakthivel urged garment exporters to achieve annual apparel export of $ 40 billion by 2030.Senior government officials, including Lav Agarwal, Director General of Foreign Trade, and Manisha Chatterjee, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, industry stakeholders, buyers, and exporters deliberated on the fast-changing dynamics of international trade and the future of India’s apparel exports.Mr. Sakthivel said apparel exports have stagnated at around $ 17 billion for nearly a decade and urged exporters to rise to the challenge of achieving the ambitious target of $ 40 billion by 2030. “The government has shown the way through the free trade agreements and buyers are already visiting factories and assessing capacities,” he saidMr. Agarwal outlined three critical priorities: expanding capacities vertically and horizontally, creating a strong Brand India in apparel, and fostering convergence between government, exporters, and buyers. Ms. Chatterjee said, “Europe and Japan are very particular about quality and sustainability. To capture these markets, we must work harder to meet their expectations.” The Ministry recently held consultations with Indian ambassadors in Europe to explore ways to boost exports. “Your inputs are extremely valuable. Together, we can ensure that India’s apparel exports reach new heights,” she said.V. Elangovan, head of SNQS International, stressed the urgent need to rebalance India’s fibre mix from cotton-heavy to MMF as buyers such as Primark are shifting substantial orders from Bangladesh to India.The buyers who participated in the meeting highlighted the persistent challenges in MMF and polyester supply chains, stressing the importance of building capacity, upgrading machinery, and ensuring compliance to meet the scale requirements of global retailers. Published - March 20, 2026 08:28 pm IST