India, Saudi Arabia To Deepen Trade In RMG And Technical Textiles
A high-level delegation from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, led by H.E. Khalil ibn Salamah, Vice Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, met Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, at Udyog Bhawan on October 14, to strengthen cooperation in the textile sector under the India–Saudi Strategic Partnership Council framework.
The discussions focused on expanding collaboration across key segments, including Ready-Made Garments (RMG), Man-Made Fibres (MMF), Technical Textiles, Carpets, Handlooms and Handicrafts. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepening trade and investment ties and leveraging complementary strengths to drive sectoral growth.
Bilateral trade between India and Saudi Arabia reached US$ 41.88 billion in FY 2024–25, with India emerging as the second-largest textile and apparel supplier to the Kingdom, accounting for 11.2% of total imports valued at US$ 517.5 million.
The dialogue underscored significant opportunities for Saudi investment in India’s RMG sector, which serves as a major employment generator and export driver. Both nations expressed interest in co-developing value chains, enhancing production capacities, and expanding global market reach.
Sustainability emerged as a shared priority, with emphasis on promoting eco-friendly practices across traditional sectors such as handloom, handicrafts and carpets areas that combine cultural heritage with growing global demand for sustainable products.
A major focus area was the strategic alignment of Saudi Arabia’s petrochemical-based raw material strengths with India’s expanding MMF and Technical Textile ecosystem. These sectors are expected to become key growth pillars, supported by initiatives like PM MITRA Parks and the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for MMF and Technical Textiles. The Saudi delegation showed keen interest in aligning with these programmes to explore investment and technology collaboration.
The visiting delegation also noted the role of leading industry platforms such as BHARAT TEX, Reverse Buyer–Seller Meets (RBSMs) and Saudi INDEX, which have already facilitated active participation and exchange between the two nations.
