India's share in global textile to reach $110 bln by 2012

New Delhi, July 27 (UNI) Minister of State for Industry Ashwani Kumar today said the National Manufacturing Competitiveness Commission (NMCC) has estimated India's share in global clothing and textile trade to reach 110 billion dollars by 2012 from the current 51 billion dollars.

Inaugurating the India-Japan Fashion Show at Osaka last evening, as part of the Indo-Japanese Friendship Year 2007 celebrations, Dr Kumar said the event should be seen as an important initiative to further deepen the economic and cultural bonding between the two countries.

''Fashion represents the evolution of society and is a manifestation of individual expression, therefore it is an art form,'' he said.

The Minister expressed hope that the event would raise the visibility of richness of Indian fabrics in Japan, which received the first piece of Indian textiles in the early seventeenth century, which is still used as an ornamental screen for the Gion Rath Yatra- a key festival in Japan.

The show sponsored by JETRO and the Embassy of India in Japan was intended to showcase Indian fabrics and textiles to increase India's share of global textile and clothing trade from the current level of 3.5 per cent to seven per cent.

The fashion event showcased Indian fabrics designed by Japanese fashion designer Ms Hiroko Koshino and Manish Arora from India.

The show was attended among others by Taro Nakayama, President, Japan-India Parliamentarians Friendship League, Vice Governor and Mayor of OSAKA, Hiyashi, Chairman JETRO and H K Singh, Indian Ambassador to Japan, said an official release issued here today.

UNI