Textile Export Sector Wins Greater Representation In India’s Top Trade Advisory Body

The Indian textile and apparel sector will now have a stronger voice in shaping the country’s trade and export policies following the appointment of K.M. Subramanian, President of the Tiruppur Exporters’ Association (TEA) and Chairman of K.M. Knitwear Private Limited and Naren Goenka, Chairman of Texport Industries, as Members of the Board of Trade (BoT), the country’s apex trade advisory body.

The appointments were announced through a notification issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India.

The inclusion of two prominent textile industry leaders in the Board of Trade is expected to strengthen the representation of the textile and apparel sector in shaping India’s trade and export policies. The Board serves as a key advisory platform to the Central Government on issues related to trade development, export promotion and international competitiveness.

Naren Goenka heads Texport Industries, one of India’s leading apparel manufacturing and export companies. The company produces between 1.5 million and 2 million woven and knitted garments every month for leading global brands across the United States and Europe. With expertise spanning men’s, women’s and children’s apparel, Texport has established a strong presence in international markets. Goenka also previously served as Chairman of the Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC), the country’s apex body for garment exporters.

K.M. Subramanian leads the Tiruppur Exporters’ Association, the principal industry body representing the knitwear export cluster of Tiruppur. TEA represents more than 1,300 manufacturing and exporting units and plays a pivotal role in supporting an industry that accounts for nearly 90 per cent of India’s cotton knitwear exports. Subramanian also heads K.M. Knitwear Private Limited, a fully vertically integrated apparel manufacturing and export enterprise with a strong global footprint.

Welcoming the appointment, Dr. A. Sakthivel, Chairman of the Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) and Honorary Chairman of the Tiruppur Exporters’ Association, said the inclusion of K.M. Subramanian in the Board of Trade would provide stronger representation for the Tiruppur knitwear sector in national trade policy discussions.

He expressed confidence that the industry’s concerns and growth aspirations would receive greater attention at the highest levels of trade policy formulation, particularly at a time when Indian exporters are navigating global market uncertainties and evolving trade dynamics.

The newly constituted Board of Trade comprises 40 distinguished members drawn from key industrial, manufacturing and export sectors across the country. Among the other notable appointees are C.S. Setty, Chairman of State Bank of India (SBI); Virat Bhatia, Managing Director of Apple India; Anish Shah, Managing Director and CEO of Mahindra & Mahindra; and Shailesh Chandra, President of SIAM and Managing Director of Tata Motors.