India's textile-garment exports fell to $37.12 bn in 2018

India, which was the second largest exporter of textile and apparel during 2014-17 after China, has fallen to the 5th rank in 2018 as Germany, Bangladesh and Vietnam have stepped in, according to chairman of Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) Sanjay K Jain. India's exports in this sector fell from $38.60 billion in 2014 to $37.12 billion in 2018.

India’s imports in this sector increased from $5.85 billion to $7.31 billion during the same period, according to a CITI press release.

CITI has come out with a white paper detailing all needed steps to boost the sector. It has also made a ten-point agenda to be addressed by the new government on a priority basis.

The agenda include simplifying the Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (TUFS) guidelines and clear all pending subsidies in a time-bound manner; expanding the Rebate of State and Central Taxes and Levies (RoSCTL) benefit for the entire textile value chain; launching of the second phase of the Technology Mission on Cotton (TMC-II); providing direct subsidy to cotton farmers, announcing a national fibre policy; a mission-mode approach for promoting the man-made fibre sector, and addressing goods and services tax issues all related to the sector.