India could lose out to countries, including Vietnam and Phillipines, as the new manufacturing hotspots, if state level red-tape issues are not addressed urgently, a global vendor to storied brands such as Zara, Levis and All Saints has warned.
“Lack of decentralised decision-making and state-level delays is hurting India’s prospects,” said Snehdeep Aggarwal, founder chairman of the Bhartiya Group.
The group’s flagship Gurgaon-based Bhartiya International is a `600-crore leather fashion line supplier to more than 60 global brands, including Hugo Boss, Mango, Guess, Wrangler, and Marco Polo among others.
“We wanted to convert our SEZ of leather goods into an industrial park. That application is still pending with the AP government for 2 years,” he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Make in India initiative aims to turn India into a manufacturing powerhouse by removing bureaucratic sloth, and make the country more investor-friendly.
Aggarwal said there is a need to “set up special cell maybe in the Prime Minister’s Office to hasten decision-making and get things going on the ground.”
The company, which runs a design studio in Milan and has major real estate projects in South India, is planning its own fashion label. “We already have a label of high-end garments called Ultimaitalia in Italy,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}The company, which runs a design studio in Milan and has major real estate projects in South India, is planning its own fashion label. “We already have a label of high-end garments called Ultimaitalia in Italy,” he said.
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