Bharat Tex Trade Federation And Première Vision Sign Mou To Strengthen India-France Textile And Fashion Collaboration
The Bharat Tex Trade Federation (BTTF) and Première Vision SA, one of the world’s leading international platforms for creative fashion, textiles and sourcing, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen India’s engagement with the global fashion and textile ecosystem.
The MoU was signed on September 2, 2026, at the Première Vision exhibition in Paris by Dr. A. Sakthivel, Core Committee Member of BTTF and Chairman of Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) and Florence Rousson, CEO – Fashion Division of Première Vision SA.
The signing ceremony was held in the presence of Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India and Dr. M. Beena, Development Commissioner (Handlooms). The occasion was attended by industry leaders, designers, officials from Export Promotion Councils, Indian Embassy officials and representatives of BTTF.
The multi-year institutional partnership builds on the Letter of Intent (LoI) signed between BTTF and Première Vision on July 14, 2026, during Bharat Tex 2026 in New Delhi. The LoI had established a framework for cooperation in areas including trade, sourcing, design, sustainability and global market access.
The new MoU seeks to provide Indian textile manufacturers, exporters, designers and artisans with greater access to international buyers, fashion houses and premium sourcing networks. It is also aimed at supporting India’s transition from volume-driven exports towards higher-value, design-led and premium segments.
Première Vision’s global fashion network and trend intelligence capabilities are expected to help Indian enterprises better understand international market requirements and develop relationships with buyers looking for sustainable and high-quality sourcing solutions.
Focus on India-EU Market Opportunities
The partnership comes at a significant time for India’s textile and apparel industry, following the conclusion of negotiations for the India-EU Free Trade Agreement in January 2026.
According to the details provided, the agreement provides preferential market access on 96.8% of tariff lines covering 99.5% of India’s exports, with 90.7% of exports by trade value expected to become duty-free once the agreement comes into force.
The European Union’s global textile and apparel imports were valued at approximately US$ 292.8 billion in 2025, while India’s textile and apparel exports to the EU currently stand at around US$ 10.4 billion.
The proposed zero-duty access across textile and clothing tariff lines is expected to create opportunities for Indian exporters of garments, textiles, yarns and home textiles, while strengthening India’s competitiveness in the European market.
Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, said the partnership with Première Vision represents a natural progression for Bharat Tex and would create opportunities to showcase India’s luxury textiles and rich heritage to Europe and global markets.
She said the collaboration could benefit artisans, weavers, designers, women entrepreneurs and MSMEs across the country.
Dr. A. Sakthivel, Core Committee Member, BTTF, said the partnership would bring Indian textiles closer to global markets while showcasing the country’s textile heritage and advancing sustainability.
Florence Rousson, CEO, Fashion Division, Première Vision SA, said the partnership would foster creativity, innovation and responsible sourcing while creating new opportunities for Indian and French stakeholders across the textile value chain.
Dr. A. Sakthivel, Core Committee Member, BTTF and Chairman, AEPC and Florence Rousson, CEO – Fashion Division, Première Vision SA, sign the MoU between Bharat Tex Trade Federation and Première Vision SA.
(L-R) Dr. M. Beena, Development Commissioner (Handlooms); Vijay Agarwal, Core Committee Member, BTTF; Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India; Dr. A. Sakthivel, Core Committee Member, BTTF and Chairman, AEPC; Florence Rousson, CEO – Fashion Division, Première Vision SA; Dr. Rakesh Kumar, Core Committee Member, BTTF; K. Shaktivel, Chairman, PDEXCIL and Mr. Shaleen Toshniwal, Chairman, TEXPROCIL.
Areas of Collaboration
The MoU will be implemented under the oversight of a Joint Steering Committee and will cover several areas of cooperation.
These include reciprocal participation of exhibitors, delegations, speakers and experts at Bharat Tex and Première Vision trade shows, along with knowledge-sharing sessions and buyer-seller meetings.
The two organisations will also undertake joint export promotion and market-linkage initiatives, including buyer-seller and reverse buyer-seller meetings. The partnership will facilitate the exchange of market intelligence and cooperation aimed at expanding opportunities for businesses from both countries.
Sustainability is another key area, with the partners planning to promote circularity, traceability and responsible production, as well as sustainability initiatives at their respective events.
The MoU also places emphasis on textile heritage and craftsmanship through an Eternal Crafts Collaboration, aimed at presenting Indian and French heritage textiles to the international luxury and creative fashion community.
As part of this initiative, A Living Thread is planned for January 2027, bringing together Indian artisans and French ateliers to showcase Indian hand embroidery, handloom and allied heritage techniques alongside French textile heritage.
The partnership brings together India’s manufacturing capabilities, diverse textile ecosystem and craft traditions with Première Vision’s international fashion, sourcing and trend network. It is expected to provide Indian enterprises with greater access to premium and luxury markets while strengthening India’s positioning as a sustainable, innovative and high-value sourcing destination for the global fashion industry.
