Uniqlo, other Japanese textile companies, to step up sourcing input material from India

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal announced on Wednesday that Japanese textile companies, including the world's largest Uniqlo, would increase their sourcing of raw materials from India and boost their investments in the country. Goyal expressed confidence that India would see greater participation from major importers and marketing firms in the textile industry, both for expanding their businesses in India and sourcing materials for their global operations.

The Indian textile industry is projected to attract investment from Japan and the roughly 4,000 stores operated by Uniqlo, which has a turnover of 4 trillion yen. Goyal stated that Japan and India are committed to working together, with both sides interested in technology transfer and transforming India into a global manufacturing hub.

They have discussed various sectors, including semiconductors, chemicals, gases, equipment, raw materials, design, manufacturing, packaging, shipbuilding, ship breaking, and ship repair. Discussions on the textile sector have also taken place, with Goyal noting that Indian businesses have shown interest in understanding Japanese requirements for textiles.

Japan is the fourth-largest garment importer globally, after the US, Germany, and France. According to the Apparel Export Promotion Council, India's share in Japan's total garment imports worth $23 billion is only one percent. India has been focusing on improving textile production quality and scale through initiatives like the Pradhan Mantri Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel (PM MITRA) scheme to bolster the growth and development of the textile industry.