Indian Textile Industry to witness uptrend as anti-China wave strengthens amid COVID-19

As dely Coronavirus pandemic has taken centre st while threatening  textile industries across world, Indian textile industry, which is in turmoil, has a ray of hope as companies across world, having operations in China are mulling an exit from China, giving an opportunity to Indian industry.

Speaking of prospects to Indian textile industry, Nikhil Thukral, Director, Maharana of India, told ANI that  anti-China wave due to pandemic has seen companies contemplating move of exiting China, which is a good opportunity for Indian market.

" Indian market is in b condition but I think we have hope because a lot of people have faced problems due to China. An anti-China wave is also going on across world. Some governments like Japan and US in order to push ir industry out of China, are making arrangements. I think India will be a good option. If that wave comes to India in coming years, India will stand in a much better position," said Nikhil, who is engd in manufacturing  personal protective equipment (PPE) kits for frontline warriors fighting COVID-19 crisis.

" scenario has changed a lot. We have started developing se kits. My or friends in this industry are also doing same in ida. It's t about profit at this moment. It is about running our factory and more than that in fight against COVID-19, we have w become a medium. We are also in this battle w, which is in itself a good thing," said Nikhil.

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While speaking over current situation in ida's Textile Industry, Lalit Thukral, president, ida Apparel Exports Cluster (NAEC), said "We have over 3,000 units in Gautam Buddh Nagar, creating garments and exporting m. re are over 1000 garments exporters here. Due to COVID-19 crisis, garment business has been hit versely. It was our peak season for exporting garments. Our deliveries take place only for four months." 

"When China was hit by COVID-19, a lot of businesses diverted and came to India from re. So here everyone's capacity was full. y received double orders. We were working day and night. When lockdown was imposed here, our work was also shut. So many buyers cancelled ir orders due to which exporters have suffered a lot," he ded.

He said that Uttar Presh Chief Minister Yogi ityanath permitted m to work on garments on which y were alrey working and start shipping m. 

"Only 1.5 month is left for shipping and ida is in red zone. So, we did approach Chief Minister Yogi regarding this issue and told him that we will suffer a loss of around Rs 6-7 thousand crore if we do t export garments in this period. We suggested him to allow work on half-prepared garments and ship m, and he permitted us for same. Garments worth Rs 1,500 crore to Rs 2,000 crore will be shipped this month" said Lalit.  

He said some of brands h cancelled orders ding that Union Textile Minister Smriti Irani has sent videos to buyers stating that y can defer payments and orders but t to cancel orders as it is about 22 million people, who will be versely affected. 

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said to go global from local and we will do it. We are developing PPE kits. Around 22,000 to 24,000 kits are being me every day in ida. 25,000 kits will be me daily in next 10 days. We will make one lakh piece kits every day in ida in next one month. This is city of apparel and we are with PM Modi. I am sure that government will be asking us to export PPE kits within next three to four months," said Lalit.

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'Producing nearly three lakh PPEs a day'

Indian Textiles might witness an upswing with industry apting to changing requirements and undertaking manufacturing of PPEs amid crisis under leership of Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani. Asia's leing pharmaceuticals manufacturer Biocon Limited's Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar Shaw praised Smriti Irani for her stellar leership in time of COVID crisis.

India has w achieved an almost unrealistic goal of producing nearly three lakh PPE kits daily within three months after coronavirus outbreak even as re was domestic manufacturing of PPEs and almost all of m were imported until three months back. A PPE kit consists of a mask, eye shield, shoe cover, gown and gloves, which doctors and healthcare workers wear during treatment of COVID-19 patients. 

Even Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal while dressing G20 Virtual Tre and Investment Ministers Meeting, highlighted India's achievement in large scale manufacturing of PPEs. He said, "When pandemic broke out, India barely produced a few thousand pieces of Personal Protective Equipment. We h never needed PPEs in large numbers ever before. When we realised that countries were t able to supply eugh for our needs, our domestic manufacturers created and ramped up capacities. So much so, that we w produce nearly 300,000 PPEs every day."

(With ANI inputs)