A delegation of Indian businesses that operate in the garments industry arrived in Ho Chi Minh City on June 19 to take part in a trade exchange with their Vietnamese contacts and partners.

The exchange, co-organised by the Ho Chi Minh City office of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and India ’s Cotton and Textiles Export Promotion Council (TEXPROCIL), was an excellent opportunity for Indian garment manufacturers and exporters to seek out new partners in Vietnam .

According to TEXPROCIL President Amit Ruparelia, India is one of the major suppliers of raw materials, including cotton and cotton fibre, to Vietnam ’s garment industry. Vietnamese imports of Indian cotton products have also doubled in the last three years.

At present, India is stepping up the production of high-quality clothes for the export market, he said.

Ruparelia said he hopes that through this exchange, Indian and Vietnamese businesses will enter into successful partnerships, which will help to facilitate the sustainable development of the garment sector in both countries.

To bolster partnerships between Vietnamese and Indian businesses, the two countries need to set up a network of warehouses to help with imports, exports and distribution, said Nguyen Van Tuan, Vice General Secretary of the Vietnam Textiles and Apparel Association (VITAS).

Indian businesses can take advantage of the preferences in existing trade agreements to invest in building modern production lines in Vietnam , he noted.

Vietnam is now emerging as a global centre for the import and export of garments and it has a huge demand for cotton and fibre materials. The country imports these materials mainly from the US , India , Brazil and China.-VNA