The 16th edition of the India Tex Trend Fair (ITTF) was inaugurated today in Tokyo by Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh, alongside Indian Ambassador to Japan Shri Sibi George, Additional Secretary Shri Rohit Kansal, and AEPC Chairman Shri Sudhir Sekhri. Running from 15–17 July, ITTF is a key event to promote India’s textile and apparel industry to the discerning Japanese market.
Organized jointly by the Ministry of Textiles, Embassy of India in Japan, Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC), and Japan India Industry Promotion Association (JIIPA), the event reflects a strategic commitment to bolstering India–Japan textile trade relations.
In his keynote, Shri Giriraj Singh emphasized the potential of the Indian textile ecosystem, particularly the PM MITRA Parks, offering world-class infrastructure across 1,000–2,000 acres and incentives like labour and electricity subsidies. He highlighted recent successes in Indian exports, noting that Japan’s import of 5,000 cars from India underlined India’s adherence to global quality standards.
The Minister also spotlighted India’s strengths in sustainable fibers and workforce, urging Japanese brands to increase sourcing and investments in India’s robust apparel manufacturing sector.
Ambassador Sibi George pointed to India’s steady economic growth and rising consumer demand, calling for deeper collaboration with Japanese buyers known for their quality and refined aesthetic sensibilities—values shared by India’s rich textile heritage.
Shri Rohit Kansal, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, noted that India offers end-to-end value chain capabilities, scale, and sustainability, making it an ideal sourcing hub.
AEPC Chairman Shri Sudhir Sekhri highlighted the participation of 150+ Indian exhibitors showcasing sustainable and high-fashion apparel. He reported enthusiastic interest from Japanese giants like Uniqlo, Adastria, Toray, Itokin, Broque Japan, Daiso, YKK, and Pegasus, reinforcing India’s credibility in meeting Japan’s strict quality expectations.
Sekhri also underlined India’s growing export competitiveness through increased CEPA utilization, flexible production capabilities, and ESG-compliant factories with solar integration, traceability, and Kasturi Cotton branding.
Despite a strong foundation, India’s current garment export share to Japan stands at just 1% (USD 234.5 million out of USD 23 billion in 2024). With duty-free trade, green credentials, and agile manufacturing, India is poised to expand this share. However, progress in MMF quality standards, compliance alignment, and trade facilitation will be key to unlocking greater potential in Japan’s USD 20–35 billion apparel market.
