India apparel export could not cope up with the neighboring apparel exporting countries like Vietnam, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka while exporting apparel fashion products to the European Union due to a duty barrier.

Smriti Irani, Union Minister of Textiles highlighted this harsh reality in a written reply to the Lok Sabha recently.
“Apparel exports from competing countries enjoy zero/preferential access to the European Union whereas India faces a duty disadvantage. Besides Bangladesh and Vietnam have a large and productive labor force.”
“Apparel exports from competing countries enjoy zero/preferential access to the European Union whereas India faces a duty disadvantage. Besides Bangladesh and Vietnam have a large and productive labor force,” Irani said.
Though the textile and apparel exports from India from USD 39.3 billion (around Rs) in 2017-18 to USD 40.4 billion in 2018-19, Irani said.
The port duty into the EU ranges from 10% to 13%, depending on the country.