Taxonomy of Apparel Exports: India Versus Other Asian Exporters

Abstract

This paper focuses on a taxonomic investigation of apparel trade. Identification of the leading importers of garments in the world (at present USA), identification of major global apparel exporters, determining export routes to USA, checking position of India as an apparel exporting competitor to US, analyzing functional competency of garment exporting countries on apparel value chain and matching country specific competencies with their respective rank and market share in export to USA are the stages of taxonomic investigation. Asian countries like India, China, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Vietnam being major exporters of apparel to USA were found to have different positions in the value chain. This was found to have a close linkage with their share in the exports. India leads the other Asian countries except China in terms of value chain components being able to cover the whole of it. For comprehensive value chain advantage it faces stiff competition from China.