The recently concluded International Home Textile Summit by HEWA witnessed numerous textile buyers from different countries. In this series, we spoke to Anuraag Sengar, UAE textile trader and CEO of Affinity General Trading, about various challenges and opportunities in the UAE textile sector, particularly after the trade agreement between the UAE and India.
The textile market is growing day by day, not only in India but everywhere. Let’s discuss the potential of the UAE market, particularly in textile sector:
Question 1: What are the key segments of the UAE textile market with significant potential?
Answer 1:The UAE textile market holds substantial potential, particularly in hospitality, home linen, and garments.
Question 2:Why is the UAE market promising in these segments?
Answer 2:The UAE’s strong tourism industry, real estate, and trade opportunities with neighboring countries like Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, East Africa, and Germany contribute to its promise in these textile segments.
Question 3: How does the free trade agreement between India and the UAE impact the textile industry?
Answer 3:The free trade agreement benefits the textile industry as Indian textile goods are renowned for their quality, and this agreement facilitates trade between the two nations because this agreement will eliminate the import duty on textiles and give major wings to the textile import from India.
Question 4:What government policy changes are needed, especially for NRI businesses in Gulf countries?
Answer 4: Some policy adjustments are necessary to support NRI businessmen in Gulf countries, ensuring that their earnings can contribute more effectively to their home country’s growth.
Question 5: Please share some insight on UAE’s Home textile industry?
Answer 5: The UAE home textile industry boasts a revenue of over $140 million in the current fiscal year, showcasing healthy CAGR growth. This presents a golden opportunity for Indian manufacturing units to enter the UAE market following the agreement.
Question 6: One suggestion to Indian textile manufacturers who are willing to export in UAE market?
Answer 6: I would like to congratulate Hewa for organizing this wonderful summit. Summits like these bridge the gap between suppliers and buyers. Just as suppliers seek good buyers, we buyers are also searching for reliable suppliers. This provides us with a great opportunity to connect with direct factories at competitive prices. My only suggestion to Indian exporters is to consider lowering their minimum order quantities and strive for faster delivery lead times.