A brewing crisis in Bangladesh is set to supercharge Surat’s textile sector, turning regional turmoil into a massive business boost. From February 1, the BTMA plans an open-ended strike over swamping imports of low-cost, duty-free Indian yarn that’s gutted local mills. Unable to compete on price or quality, many Bangladeshi units face bankruptcy and loan defaults.
Gujarat’s Surat, dominating 65% of India’s polyester fabric production, eyes this as prime expansion territory. In an exclusive interview, federation chief Kailash Hakim described the scenario as ideal for Indian industry amid Dhaka’s unrest. ‘Bangladesh garmented our fabrics; now we’re ready to take the full leap,’ he said.
India’s garment export ambitions gain momentum with nationwide textile parks, skill programs, and cluster developments. Hakim spotlighted Surat’s quality drive and called for an R&D hub to fuel exports. ‘Government and entrepreneurs are aligning to brand Indian textiles globally,’ he added.
Trader Akshay Rathod hailed the development as a ‘joyous milestone’ for Surat’s pivotal role in national trade. Blaming Bangladesh’s mismanagement, he noted surging youth interest in garmenting backed by training institutes. With policy tweaks, Surat could emerge as the world’s garmenting capital.
This pivotal shift underscores India’s textile evolution. As Bangladesh falters, Surat’s traders are gearing up for unprecedented growth, proving quality and strategy trump cheap labor in the long game.