Synergy that exists between India and Sri Lanka in the textile and apparel sector has given the strengths of India in the raw material base and manufacturing, and that of Sri Lanka in making a mark in certain niche categories.
This was stated Ms. Suja K. Menon Head of Economic & Commercial Wing, High Commission of India when she addressed the inauguration ceremony of the India International Textiles Expo (IITExpo) -Exhibition cum Buyer Seller Meet- in Colombo on Monday 29.
She mentioned that several Sri Lankan companies are also investing in India in the textile sector, contributing further to Indian economy.
India is the largest cotton and jute producer in the world and second largest textiles producer, as well as the second largest producer of silk in the world.
There exists significant complementary wherein Sri Lanka can source textile material from India and transform it into apparel and garments exporter for rest of the world. She encouraged Sri Lankan companies to be part of the supply and value chains of large Indian companies.
The India International Textiles Expo (IITExpo) -Exhibition cum Buyer Seller Meet,the three-day event is organized by the Powerloom Development & Export Promotion Council (PDEXCIL) of India, with the support of Ministry of Textiles & Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India.
The Chief Guest at the inauguration ceremony was Hon. Anoma Gamage, Deputy Minister of Petroleum Resources Development of Sri Lanka.
Mr. Sharad Amalean, Chairman, Joint Apparel Association Forum; Mr. Rehan Lakhany, Chairman, Sri Lanka Apparel Export Association; Ms. Suja K. Menon, Head of Economic & Commercial Wing, High Commission of India; and Mr. Sunil Satgonda Patil, Chairman, PDEXCIL were also present.
Deputy Minister Anoma Gamage, in her address, conveyed that textile industry forms an important pillar of the Sri Lankan economy, given its contribution to GDP, exports and forex earning, employment generation etc.
She added that the textile sector also plays an important role in achieving the goals envisaged by the Government of Sri Lanka in its Vision 2025. She underlined the strong bilateral ties between India and Sri Lanka, and cited the potential to further strengthen the collaboration in the textile sector. She also recalled her own personal connect with the textile industry for almost 25 years.
PDEXCIL has had a longstanding association with Sri Lanka since 1998. There also exists an MOU between PDEXCIL and Sri Lanka Apparel Exporters Association (SLAEA), which was signed in Gujarat in June 2017.
At the event, about 30 exhibitors from various textile clusters of India are displaying variety of fabrics, made-ups, home textiles, cotton and blended yarn etc. The event concludes on 31 July 2019.
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