The Bharat Tex Trade Federation (BTTF) and Première Vision SA have entered into a multi-year institutional partnership aimed at expanding India’s presence in the international fashion and textile industry. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on September 2, 2026, during the Première Vision exhibition in Paris.
The agreement was signed by Dr. A. Sakthivel, Core Committee Member of BTTF and Chairman of the Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC), and Ms. Florence Rousson, CEO of the Fashion Division at Première Vision SA. The signing ceremony was attended by Ms. Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, and Dr. M. Beena, Development Commissioner (Handlooms), along with senior industry representatives, designers, Export Promotion Council officials, Indian Embassy representatives and BTTF leadership.
Building on Bharat Tex 2026 Collaboration
The new partnership follows a Letter of Intent (LoI) signed on July 14, 2026, during Bharat Tex 2026 in New Delhi in the presence of Union Minister of Textiles Giriraj Singh. The MoU converts that initial commitment into a structured, long-term collaboration covering trade promotion, sourcing, design, sustainability and textile heritage.
Première Vision, which has served the global fashion industry for more than five decades, provides an international platform connecting fashion brands, designers, manufacturers and sourcing professionals. Through the partnership, Indian textile manufacturers, exporters, designers and artisans will gain greater opportunities to engage with global buyers and premium fashion networks.
Focus on High-Value and Design-Led Exports
A key objective of the collaboration is to help Indian textile businesses move beyond conventional volume-based exports and capture a larger share of high-value, design-oriented and premium markets.
Première Vision’s trend intelligence and international sourcing network are expected to help Indian enterprises better understand changing global consumer preferences. The partnership will also encourage Indian companies to strengthen their capabilities in quality, sustainability, innovation and design.
The initiative is expected to create new opportunities for India’s luxury textiles, traditional crafts and heritage techniques, while supporting artisans, weavers, designers, women entrepreneurs and MSMEs.
Opportunities from India-EU Trade Momentum
The partnership comes amid growing commercial opportunities between India and the European Union. Negotiations for the India-EU Free Trade Agreement concluded in January 2026, with preferential market access covering a substantial share of tariff lines and Indian exports.
The European Union’s textile and apparel imports were valued at around US$292.8 billion in 2025, whereas India’s textile and apparel exports to the EU stood at approximately US$10.4 billion. The proposed zero-duty access for textile and clothing tariff lines is expected to strengthen the competitiveness of Indian exporters in the European market.
Collaboration Across Trade and Sustainability
The MoU provides for reciprocal participation of exhibitors, experts, speakers and business delegations at the two organisations’ events. Joint export promotion programmes, buyer-seller meetings, reverse buyer-seller meets and the exchange of market intelligence will form an important part of the partnership.
Sustainability is another major pillar of the agreement. Both organisations will work to promote circularity, traceability and responsible production practices across the textile value chain.
The partnership will also establish an “Eternal Crafts Collaboration”, bringing Indian and French textile heritage to the international luxury and creative fashion community. Under this initiative, “A Living Thread” is scheduled to be showcased in January 2027, highlighting Indian hand embroidery, handloom and other traditional techniques alongside French textile heritage.
Strengthening India’s Global Textile Position
Ms. Neelam Shami Rao described the partnership as a natural extension of Bharat Tex’s vision under the Prime Minister’s 5F approach, aimed at creating greater global opportunities for India’s textile sector.
Dr. A. Sakthivel said the collaboration would bring Indian textiles closer to international markets while promoting India’s heritage and commitment to sustainability. Florence Rousson said the partnership would foster creativity, innovation and responsible sourcing while creating opportunities for stakeholders across the Indian and French textile value chains.
The institutional partnership is expected to strengthen India’s position as a sustainable, innovative and high-value sourcing destination, while helping Indian textile enterprises build deeper connections with premium and luxury segments of the global fashion industry.
Author: Shivam
Shivam Dwivedi is a senior journalist with extensive experience in research-driven journalism, policy communication, and multi-platform storytelling. His areas of interest include international relations, defence, science & technology, education, urban development, agriculture, spirituality, and environmental sustainability. His work focuses on in-depth analysis, public discourse, and impactful narratives across governance and development sectors, with a strong commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Contact: [email protected]
