Even as the additional tariffs announced by U.S. President Donald Trump is slowing down Indian textile exports to the U.S., the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) is planning to strengthen domestic textile sector to position the industry for long term resilience, profitability and global leadership.

CITI has joined hands with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) to launch – Improving Transparency for Sustainable Business (ITSB) – in India on September 10. Supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDCA), the ITSB initiative is designed to elevate sustainability practices and transparency across South Asia’s textile and apparel sector.

“India’s textile and apparel industry is both an economic powerhouse and a symbol of cultural heritage. As global markets increasingly demand responsible and transparent practices, ITSB represents a timely opportunity for our industry to strengthen competitiveness while embracing sustainability as a core driver of growth. Through this initiative, we will empower enterprises – large and small – to align with global best practices, build resilience, and position India’s textile and apparel sector as a global leader in sustainability,” said Rakesh Mehra, Chairman, CITI.

In India, ITSB will serve as a dynamic multi-stakeholder platform, engaging businesses, industry bodies, worker associations, regulators, investors, and data users. The initiative will build capacities for impact reporting on critical environmental and social issues such as climate change, circularity, waste, diversity and inclusion, and biodiversity. It will also deepen transparency on employment, health and safety practices, and economic and tax-related impacts. Reporting organisations will gain tools, training, and frameworks to improve ESG disclosures and meet global buyer expectations.

Meanwhile, CITI’s compilation of the monthly data of textile and apparel (T&A) imports by USA from its top suppliers shows that in July 2025, USA’s T&A imports from Vietnam and Bangladesh increased by 14.2% and 5.2%, respectively, over July 2024. In comparison, India’s exports to the USA grew by 9.1% in July 2025 compared to July 2024. CITI notes that while growth momentum moderated compared to June for both Vietnam and Bangladesh, both countries continued to strengthen their market position in the U.S. However, India’s pace of expansion remained significantly lower than that of its key competitors over the year to-date period.