The Apparel Exporters Promotion Council (AEPC) conclave was anchored by council's chairman Premal Udani at the 10th edition of India Fashion Forum. Some of the leading exporters from the fashion industry debated on the prospective markets by weighing out the global vs the domestic scenario.

AEPC secretary general Vimal Kirti Singh said the market share of Indian exporters is 43 per cent in Europe and 42 per cent in the United States. "The government is looking at exploring newer potential markets such as Japan and South Africa. Currently, it is not foreign exchange but skill development on which the govenment is concentrating."

Mr Singh also predicted that moving forward the domestic sector as well as the export sector in India will open up job opportunities for a huge number of skilled labour.

In this context, Mr Udani added that compliance is becoming an important factor in this new age fashion industry. The idea is to keep to socially approved norms and build productivity in small and medium factories as well. Mr Rahul Mehta, managing director of Creative Group, and Mr Ashok Rajani, chairman of AEPC's export promotion sub-committee, were also part of the panel.

The speakers unanimously expressed their desire that exporters should create domestic brands. And thus, establishing Brand India is the way forward according to the panelists.