The textile industry exemplifies the global shift of manufacturing from high-wage to low-wage geographies. Examine the location of the world’s textile and apparel hubs and India’s place in this map.
Subtopic: World Geography · Location of Industries — Textiles
How to structure your answer
Introduction: Global textile and apparel trade exceeded USD 980 billion in 2023 (WTO). China holds ~31% of textile and 32% of apparel exports; Bangladesh, Vietnam, India follow.
Body — three dimensions: (1) Historical shift — Lancashire-Manchester decline in 20th century; Osaka, Shanghai rise; now Dhaka, Ho Chi Minh City, Tiruppur. (2) Location pull — raw cotton, cheap female labour, port access; Bangladesh's RMG sector employs 4+ million women. (3) India's geography — Mumbai-Ahmedabad-Surat cotton belt; Tiruppur knitwear cluster (~₹35,000 crore exports); Panipat handlooms; Bhilwara woollens; Ludhiana hosiery.
Conclusion: India's PM MITRA Parks (7 sanctioned 2023) and PLI for Man-Made Fibres target the structural shift from cotton to MMF, where China still dominates.
Written within the word limit
141 words · target 150 words · 9 min
Introduction: Global textile and apparel trade exceeded USD 980 billion in 2023 (WTO), with China holding around 31% of textile and 32% of apparel exports; Bangladesh, Vietnam and India follow.
Body: The historical shift is striking — Lancashire-Manchester, cradle of the Industrial Revolution, declined in the 20th century; Osaka and Shanghai rose; now Dhaka, Ho Chi Minh City and Tiruppur lead. Location pulls textile manufacturing toward raw cotton, cheap (largely female) labour and port access: Bangladesh's RMG sector employs over 4 million women. India's geography combines the Mumbai-Ahmedabad-Surat cotton-MMF belt, Tiruppur's knitwear cluster (about Rs 35,000 crore exports), Surat's synthetic-textile complex producing 65% of India's MMF, Panipat home textiles, Bhilwara woollens and Ludhiana hosiery. PM MITRA Parks (seven sanctioned, 17 March 2023) and the PLI Textile (Rs 10,683 crore) push the shift to MMF.
Conclusion: India's USD 34 billion textile exports (2023–24) lag China's; capturing MMF and technical-textile share is the next structural opportunity.
What an examiner expects to see
- Global textile-apparel trade USD 980+ billion (WTO 2023)
- China — 31% textile, 32% apparel share
- Bangladesh — RMG sector 4+ million women
- Lancashire-Manchester historic decline
- Tiruppur knitwear cluster, Tamil Nadu
- Surat — world's largest synthetic textile centre
- PM MITRA Parks — 7 sanctioned, 17 March 2023
- PLI Textile (₹10,683 crore) for MMF and technical textiles
- India textile exports ~USD 34 billion (2023-24)
Concrete cases, schemes and judgments
- Tiruppur Exporters' Association — ₹35,000 crore knitwear
- Surat synthetic textile cluster — 65% of India's MMF
- Ludhiana hosiery and woollen knits
- Panipat home textiles — recycled yarn capital
- Tirupur, Tamil Nadu — ‘Dollar City’