Developing India as a world class supply base

India does not have to convince anybody as brand India has established itself and has also developed as a good manufacturing and supply base.

A beginning has been made, but Indians have a long way to go in showing their ambition and passion openly in promoting their brand in the global shores.

This was largely the outcome of a panel discussion, 'Developing India as a World Class Supply base for Luxury Houses,' on the second of the Hindustan Times Luxury Conference.

At an engaging and fun session, moderated by Dr Amit Mitra, secretary general, FICCI, the two speakers- Sunil Sethi, CEO- Alliance Merchandising Company that promotes Indian designs internationally and also manufactures and supplies products to international designers and Hemant Sagar, a fashion designer who has moved from the international shores back to India to set up his own design studio elaborated on the point that it is not Brand India but the entire supply chain that is gaining ground.

But, "Indians have to come out confidently and push themselves ahead and also have a good strategy in place to become successful," Sagar said.

Explaining how well India has developed as a quality manufacturing and production base Sethi said, "India has developed its manufacturing base for various products ranging from furniture, dining accessories, carpets and even towels are being designed and made here for number of international designers."

When asked if India is just a back-end destination for the international designers Sethi affirmed that was not the case and said, "We have created a platform in the global arena for Indian designers to showcase their work. What started as first step in 2002 where we took a set of designers to run a Bollywood theme India promotion in UK's Selfridges has continued.

In the last four years Indian designers have been promoted in Italy, Israel, Thailand and Moscow. Many of who are now getting orders from these countries."

Fashion Designers Ashish Soni and Sabyasachi Mukherjee's clothes are being sold in Selfridges