India's newly formed textile council, the DCTI, has held its first meeting with textile competitiveness placed at the centre of the agenda, Fibre2Fashion reports.

The inaugural session marks the formal start of the body's work on strengthening India's position across the textile and apparel supply chain. Competitiveness — the ability of Indian mills, garment makers and exporters to hold and win orders against rival sourcing destinations — framed the opening discussions.

What is the DCTI and why does it matter?

The council brings industry and policy attention to bear on the structural factors that determine where global buyers place textile orders: cost, capacity, lead times and compliance. Its first meeting signals that Indian policymakers treat textile competitiveness as a priority file rather than a routine trade matter.

For sourcing directors buying from India, a dedicated council focused on competitiveness suggests future policy work could target the friction points they know best — fabric availability, productivity gaps and export logistics. No specific measures, timelines or budget commitments emerged from the first session, according to the Fibre2Fashion report.

How does this fit India's sourcing position?

India ranks among the largest textile-producing and exporting countries, supplying yarn, fabrics and finished garments to major Western retailers. Its competitive standing faces pressure from lower-cost Asian rivals and from buyer diversification strategies that have shifted volumes toward Bangladesh, Vietnam and other destinations in recent years.

A council-level focus on competitiveness at the very first meeting indicates the industry's leadership regards that pressure as urgent. Textile exporters have long argued that India's share of global apparel sourcing lags its fibre and fabric base, and competitiveness policy is the lever most often cited to close that gap.

What should buyers and suppliers watch next?

Because this was an inaugural meeting, the concrete outputs matter more than the agenda. Sourcing teams tracking India should monitor the council's subsequent sessions for:

• Specific policy measures on input costs, duties or export incentives
• Capacity or technology investment programmes for mills and garment factories
• Any announced targets for textile and apparel export growth
• Compliance or sustainability initiatives tied to Indian law or international standards

Until the council publishes recommendations, the first meeting stands as a signal of intent rather than a change in trading conditions.

The sourcing decision this news forces is procedural: buyers with India exposure should add the DCTI's policy pipeline to their country-risk watchlist, and Indian suppliers should track whether the competitiveness agenda translates into cost or capacity relief they can pass on in negotiations.