The Indian textile industry after the conclusion of Doha talks will be able to bargain for better import duty rates on textiles from its principal importers at the bilateral talks, industry sources said here on July 25.
uch negotiations make sense only when done at the bilateral level. A multilateral discussion that too at a time when there is so much strife in the Middle East is not the right forum,?said Premal Udani, president of the Clothing Manufacturers Association of India.
The industry was not expecting tariff problems faced by Indian exporters to figure in a major way at the talks, considering that negotiations had such a difficult time in resolving the agri tariffs issue.
Industry is battling high tariffs in the US and European market and such negotiations made at bilateral level will help in making a better forum for duty reductions.
However, the industry did not expect tariff problems faced by Indian exporters to figure in a major way at the talks, considering that negotiations had such a difficult time in resolving the agri tariffs issue.
Currently textile importers in Europe are paying 12 percent and 17-32 percent in the US from India; while other countries in the subcontinent like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka enjoy zero-duty imports.
However Bangladesh is being considered as the least developed nations while Sri Lanka is offered a special concession after tsunami.
Since importers are convinced of quality and consistency from India are forced to shell out more to import from India as compared with some of its neighboring countries owing to their better tariffs.
Further tariff rationalisation will help in growing textile imports from the country.
