India could be Germany's Asian textile hub, says envoy
07 Dec '05
2 min read
Senior member of German Embassy stated that the cost-effectiveness being its USP, India turn up as a manufacturing hub for German textiles to serve entire Asian region.
Addressing a two-day German textile machinery symposium, Economic Counsellor of the German Embassy, New Delhi, Dr Lamprecht said the Indo-German business relations dated back 500 years when traders from Germany traveled to South India for spices.
He informed that India is an important trading partner and German industry can ideally fulfil India's needs in any field. Stating that German machinery manufacturers enjoyed an excellent reputation, he added that US $900 billion worth of machinery was exported last year, making the country the top exporting nation in the world.
Meanwhile, Cotton Textile Export Promotion Council (CTEPC) Chairman B K Patodia said India should be made the hub for cost-effective solutions.
Southern India Mills' Association Chairman S V Arumugam said India should strengthen machinery base by transfer of foreign technology through joint venture investment.
Informing that imports were expensive due to transaction costs and customs duty, he viewed that the industry needed hi-tech machines but at reasonable cost.
He contended that India may not require certain automations as in labour cost is much under control. He argued that they cannot afford to have over automation.
As technical competency of Indians was high, European and Japanese machinery manufacturers could seriously consider relocating base to India to reduce production cost and provide valuble inputs in R&D sector, Arumugam concluded.
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