Analyses

A new trade bloc on the anvil comes in the wake of two mega-agreements already in force in the region. But it is not a free trade agreement, and nor does it talk about tariffs or market access. What’s in it for the US? What for the other 12 Indo-Pacific nations?

A new 'purpose-driven' clothing line with 'responsibly sourced materials' from ultra-fast fashion retailer Shein promises an 'affordable option' for customers seeking to make a positive impact with their product choices. Shein is now taking the battle to its critics.

Bargaining power imbalance and information asymmetry between marketplace platforms and their business users are holding back the e-commerce sector in India. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) came to this conclusion in its report Market Study on E-commerce in India: Key Findings and Observations that was released on January 8. But, even without a formal determination of violation of competition law, the CCI remarked, "improving transparency over certain areas of the platforms’ functioning...

In 2014, observers of global trade were riding a euphoric wave. There was talk of mega-treaties and how those would change the world. There were the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP). The age of the World Trade Organization (WTO) is as good as over, and trade would now be dominated by the mega deals. Or, so we were led to believe and taken down the garden path. But five years...

The negotiations between Vietnam and the European Union (EU) over a free trade agreement (FTA) was keen watched by many other countries and blocs, particularly India. When the talks eventually led to a deal being signed on the last day of June, it came somewhat as a double whammy for India—mostly from our textiles-apparel point of view. First, Vietnam’s textiles-apparel industry has decidedly gained an advantage over India as far as exports to most European countries are concerned. And second...

If one were to contract the value chain of the global textiles-apparel-fashion industry—for the sake of convenience and debate, the fate of much of the industry would depend considerably on the way fabrics are manufactured and traded. And, if one were to look at the big picture, it would be all about trade. Sure, the global fabrics trade has seen a swathe of changes in this millennium, but the very nature of trade is such that it is fluid. Trade wars and geo-political make it unpredictable. So...

Right from the summer of 2018 when the draft ecommerce policy was being debated by stakeholders and experts, it was almost a given that the Indian government would sooner or later make that much-needed distinction between online marketplaces and inventory-based platforms. Yet, the modified rules for foreign direct investment (FDI) in ecommerce that were announced by the ministry of commerce & industry on December 26, 2018 took many by surprise. Most had expected any such rule / guideline to be...

In mid-November came the heartening news that textiles and apparel exports had jumped—by as much as an impressive 38 per cent in October because of higher overseas demand. According to the ministry of commerce and industry, textiles and apparel exports had reached Rs 203.53 billion for October 2018 as against Rs 147.79 billion in the corresponding month last year. Textiles exports increased by 28 per cent, and that of apparel rose by 54 per cent that month. Sounded like good news. The reasons...

A year-and-half after demonetisation and twelve months after the rollout of the goods and services tax (GST), it is a nebulous state of affairs in the bustling textiles hub of Surat. Precise and reliable numbers are hard to come by, but those that are being bandied around are bleary indicators in themselves. All that one is left to go by are estimates (some random, some well-calculated), and these estimates vary widely depending on who one is talking to. In many ways, it resembles a conflict...

Only a year back, the e-commerce landscape was dominated by two players: Amazon and Flipkart. With the acquisition of Myntra and Jabong by Flipkart, it would have appeared as though a process of consolidation had set in, and that the years to come would see the two in a no-holds-barred fight. Now, with the buying of Flipkart by American retail giant Walmart in May, things have changed in a way, and yet in many ways they remain the same. It would still remain a war between two big players, only...