Shri Giriraj Singh, Hon’ble Union Minister for Textiles, inaugurated the 74th edition of the India International Garment Fair (IIGF) at Yashobhoomi, Dwarka, New Delhi on 23 January 2026, in the presence of exhibitors and international buyers. The ceremony included lamp lighting, the release of the fair guide, and the Minister’s address. Recognized as one of Asia’s largest garment sourcing fairs, IIGF serves as a major platform connecting MSMEs with global buyers. The Minister later visited exhibitor stalls and attended the event as Chief Guest.
Speaking at the event Shri Singh said, “I am fortunate that I got the opportunity to visit last year when I became a minister, and that was my first such occasion. I thank everyone for this. I am very happy that IIGF has invited me again. This is a trusted platform, and I can say that the India International Garment Fair has now become a major global platform for international garment buyers.”
Government Support and Sector Expansion
The Minister stated that the government has addressed key industry concerns, including QCO issues, enhanced RoDTEP and RoSCTL incentives, temporary import duty reductions, and correction of the inverted duty structure. He noted that ₹50,000 crore in support has been extended through RoDTEP and RoSCTL schemes.
Highlighting sector performance, he said India’s textile market expanded from ₹8.4 lakh crore in 2013–14 to about ₹16 lakh crore today. The domestic market grew from ₹6 lakh crore to ₹13 lakh crore by 2025, while exports increased by over 25 percent after the pandemic. He emphasized the sector’s strong contribution to employment generation.
Export Diversification and Global Positioning
The Minister noted that despite global headwinds, the industry has remained resilient. India’s export diversification into 40 new countries is yielding results, with growth of 77 percent in Argentina, 30 percent in Egypt, 20 percent in Poland and Japan, and 10 percent in Sweden and France. He also indicated that the India–EU agreement is expected to be signed soon.
Referring to India’s strengths, he cited a young workforce, strong raw material base, and foreign exchange surplus, urging the industry to achieve its targets.
The Minister further highlighted India’s move toward self-reliant standards through initiatives such as VisionNxt and IndiaSize, aligned with Aatmanirbhar Bharat. He encouraged the industry to adopt Indian benchmarks for design forecasting and identity.
Strong Industry Participation
Speaking at the inaugural function, Dr A Sakthivel, Chairman AEPC said, “The 74th edition of IIGF, with 233 exhibitors spread across 5,073 square metres and over 1,120 registered buyers, once again reflects the strong and sustained global interest in India. The presence of exhibitors from all parts of the country highlights the depth and breadth of our manufacturing ecosystem, while the enthusiastic participation of international buyers reaffirms confidence in Indian capabilities.”
Despite global economic and geopolitical uncertainties, India’s apparel sector has maintained steady growth. Cumulative RMG exports during April–December 2025–26 reached USD 11,584.3 million, marking a 2.4 percent increase compared to the same period last year.
Chairman AEPC added, “At the same time, the industry has placed certain important requests before the Government to sustain and strengthen our export competitiveness. These include the introduction of a Focus Market Scheme for apparel exports to the USA, with freely transferable duty credit scrips equivalent to 20% of the FOB value, removal of the annual value cap of ₹50 lakhs per exporter under the interest equalization scheme under the Export Promotion Mission, enhancement of interest subvention rate to 5% etc. We are confident that such supportive measures will provide a much-needed boost to exporters, especially MSMEs, in these difficult times.”
Global Buyer Presence and Future Outlook
The fair saw strong participation from international buyers representing leading brands and retail groups from the UAE, South Korea, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Japan, Italy, Israel, Hong Kong, France, Mauritius, Spain, and other markets. Their presence underlines global confidence in India’s design, quality, compliance, and delivery capabilities.
Chairman AEPC underlined, “Looking ahead, we are optimistic about the future. With the India–EU Free Trade Agreement expected to be concluded soon, and competing countries gradually losing preferential market access such as GSP benefits, the tables are likely to turn decisively in India’s favour. These developments will open new avenues for growth and enhance India’s competitiveness in key global markets. We remain confident that with the collective efforts of industry and government, India will achieve the ambitious target of USD 40 billion in apparel exports by 2030.”
The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Shri Rakesh Vaid, Vice Chairman IGFA, who appreciated the collective efforts behind the fair’s successful organization.
