HSL celebrates 85th Sapphire Foundation Day
HSL unveiled upgraded infrastructure facilities such as a valve testing bay, digital kiosk, refurbished dining areas, and a new power room, refurbished residential quarters, community halls, training spaces, and the newly-established Motivation Hall. A total of 12 key publications were released to streamline operations and promote knowledge-based practices, during the celebrations.
Commodore Hemant Khatri, CMD, HSL, stated that HSL's transformation—from building small tugs to delivering strategic platforms like INS Dhruv and Nistar—is a result of professional competence, conviction, and courage, driven by a mindset shift from 'me, I, and myself' to 'we, us, and HSL'.
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Economic Times
a day ago
- Economic Times
ET MSME Awards 2025: How CMAI became the backbone of India's garment revolution
ET Online Royalty-free image of printed fabric. | Photo by maadhuri g on Pexels Each week, the ET MSME Awards will feature an industry association that has played a critical role in India's growth story. This week, we celebrate CMAI. If you own or manage a clothing and apparel enterprise, nominate your business for the ET MSME Awards 2025 before August 31, 2025. Off the bustling bylanes of Prabhadevi, in what was once Mumbai's mill hub, the hum of sewing machines never quite dies down. Here stands an organisation that has quietly shaped India's apparel destiny since 1963: the Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI). The CMAI may not grab headlines in the micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) space the way electronics or healthcare suppliers do, but its influence runs through every thread of India's $176 billion textile industry. From its humble beginnings to becoming the voice of over 20,000 companies, from micro units to international juggernauts such as Levi's, its story is essentially the story of how India's textile sector evolved from post-independence protectionism to global competitiveness. The architect of export success CMAI's most transformative contribution came in 1978, when the organisation took the lead in the creation of the Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC). At a time when India's garment exports were nascent and fragmented, this initiative laid the foundation for what would become a multi-billion dollar export engine. The timing couldn't have been more crucial. The late 1970s marked India's gradual opening to global trade, and the garment sector needed institutional support to navigate international markets. Born from CMAI's vision, AEPC became the regulatory body that would eventually oversee the promotion of India's garment exports. Today, when Indian apparel flies off international retail shelves from New York to Tokyo, that success traces back to CMAI's institutional foresight nearly half a century ago. When an Indian garment shipment reaches international ports with CMAI's certification, it carries the credibility of an institution that has vetted industry players for decades. For small exporters, such institutional backing can be the difference between smooth customs clearance and costly delays. Are you a top exporter? Nominate yourself for the ET MSME Awards 2025 The MSME champion CMAI's real genius lies in understanding that India's clothing and apparel industry would be built not by industrial behemoths, but by thousands of small manufacturers scattered across the country. Long before 'MSME' became a policy buzzword, CMAI recognised that the sector's strength lay in its distributed network of small entrepreneurs. This insight shaped everything from CMAI's advocacy positions to service offerings. When it established a network of affiliate testing associations and facilities, it wasn't just about meeting international quality standards, but about making those standards accessible to small enterprises who couldn't afford their own facilities. For a manufacturer in Odisha, Tamil Nadu, or Punjab, this means the difference between accessing global markets and remaining trapped in domestic price wars. CMAI's approach to supporting MSMEs goes beyond advocacy — it creates markets. The association's trade fairs have become crucial business platforms where small manufacturers meet retailers, forge partnerships, and showcase innovations. The North India Garment Fair (NIGF), scheduled for November 25-27 this year, exemplifies this philosophy. More than 95% of exhibitors are MSMEs from across India, including Mumbai, the National Capital Region, Bengaluru, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh. Retailers, wholesalers, agents, e-commerce representatives, distributors, and international buyers alike throng the NIGF, making it an economic lifeline for clothing and apparel enterprises. Interfacing with government and society CMAI also doubles as an interface between government policy and ground-level business reality. When policymakers design schemes for the textile sector, they often rely on CMAI's insights to understand how regulations on market access, credit, and ease of doing business will play out in practice. The association also plays a proactive role in voluntary commitments to sustainability. In 2019, it partnered with India's Ministry of Textiles, UN in India, and Reliance Brands Limited to launch (short for Sustainable Resolution), an initiative that creates a pathway to move towards more sustainable fashion. signatory brands include the likes of Shoppers Stop, Lifestyle, Biba, AND, the Aditya Birla Group, and Being Human. Lastly, through apparel training centres in multiple states, CMAI has trained over 43,000 people and placed nearly 33,500 trainees under the Ministry of Textiles' Integrated Skill Development Scheme. The digital transition Like many traditional industries, garment manufacturing has had to navigate the digital transformation. CMAI has positioned itself as a bridge between old-economy manufacturers and new-economy opportunities. Its embrace of e-commerce platforms and digital marketing reflects this evolution. By helping traditional manufacturers understand online retail dynamics, CMAI has enabled countless small businesses to expand their reach beyond physical trade fairs and regional markets. This digital push became particularly crucial during the Covid-19 pandemic, when traditional business models faced unprecedented disruption. Companies that had embraced digital platforms through CMAI's guidance found themselves better positioned to weather the crisis. To sum up As India aims to become a $5 trillion economy by 2027, the garment sector's role becomes even more critical. With textiles and apparel going through rapid evolution, from fast fashion to sustainable clothing and from offline to omnichannel, CMAI's challenge is to help members navigate these transitions. The association's recent focus on sustainability and technological upgradation suggests it understands these challenges. But its real test will be helping traditional manufacturers adapt to changing consumer preferences while maintaining the cost competitiveness that has been their historic strength. CMAI's five-decade journey offers a masterclass in industry institution-building. It didn't just represent existing interests, but helped create the very ecosystem that allowed those interests to flourish. From a handful of Mumbai-based manufacturers to a pan-Indian network of 20,000 companies, CMAI's evolution mirrors the transformation of Indian manufacturing itself. In boardrooms where billion dollar deals are discussed, CMAI's influence might seem modest. But in the workshops and factories where India's garment story is stitched together, its role as facilitator, advocate, and enabler continues to define possibilities for countless entrepreneurs. That's the quiet power of institutional leadership: not the dramatic disruption that makes headlines, but the patient building of systems that allow entire sectors to thrive. The ET MSME Awards 2025 , which has IDBI Bank as banking and lending partner, is open for nominations. Put yourself up for consideration before August 31, 2025.
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- New Indian Express
Tiruppur exporters seek relief from CM after US imposes 50% tariff on Indian goods
TIRUPPUR: Exporters from Tiruppur met Chief Minister M K Stalin on Thursday, seeking urgent relief measures after US President Donald Trump announced a 50% tariff on goods exported from India to the US from August 27. Knitwear exports from Tiruppur to the US are worth Rs 2,000 crore, with the US accounting for nearly 35% of the district's total exports of Rs 44,747 crore in the last financial year. Tiruppur Exporters' Association (TEA) leaders warned that US buyers have begun asking exporters to hold previously placed orders due to the higher duty, potentially leading to company closures and job losses. They requested a two-year moratorium on MSME exporters' loan repayments, a special emergency credit facility, subsidies to access alternative markets, reinstatement of the 5% interest subvention scheme, separate banking policies for MSMEs, and liberalised import norms for synthetic yarn. TEA joint secretary Kumar Duraiswamy said the tariff will severely impact Tiruppur's 10 lakh workers, 2,500 companies, and 20,000 ancillary units, forcing heavy discounts and shipment delays. The Chief Minister assured that steps would be taken on their demands.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Tricolour hoisted across PSUs in Vizag on Independence Day
1 2 Visakhapatnam : Gaiety and pomp marked Independence Day celebrations at public sector units (PSUs) in Visakhapatnam. The Tricolour was hoisted at Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), Vizag Steel Plant (VSP), Dredging Corporation of India Limited (DCIL), Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA) and other institutions. HSL CMD Cmde Girideep Singh (Retd) said employees' commitment and hard work propelled HSL to a historic turnover of Rs 1,471 crore and a PAT of Rs 213 crore in FY 2024–25, with progress toward Mini Ratna status in the coming months. Emphasising future direction, he outlined HSL's adoption of Industry 4.0 practices, operational excellence initiatives, infrastructure modernisation, and upgrades in accounting standards—not merely as physical improvements, but as strategic enablers to meet the challenges of the next stage of growth. Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA) chairman Dr Angamuthu assured the people of Visakhapatnam that the port, in close coordination with the state government and local authorities, is working diligently to combat pollution and improve living conditions in the city. Highlighting the port's performance, he noted that VPA achieved its highest-ever cargo handling in the last financial year and expressed confidence in maintaining the momentum this year. Dredging Corporation of India Limited (DCIL) MD and CEO Durgesh Kumar Dubey said the company successfully executed several critical dredging assignments at major Indian ports—including JNPA, Cochin, Paradip, SMP Kolkata, VPA—and inland dredging works in the North-East during FY 2024–25. Further fortifying its leadership in the maritime sector, DCIL recently secured new dredging contracts for prominent ports such as JNPA, Paradip, and Puducherry, setting the course for sustained growth in the years ahead. Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) Visakha Refinery executive director (in-charge) R Ramakrishna, along with CGM (HR) G Kiran Kumar, stated that the mega Visakh Refinery Modernisation Project, which will increase refining capacity to 15 MMTPA, is progressing as planned. They mentioned the smooth commissioning of the new units on time. Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL), the corporate entity of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, director (Personnel) Dr Suresh Chandra Pandey highlighted recent developments at the plant. He stated that the restart of Blast Furnace-3 marks a significant milestone—not merely an operational success, but a testament to resilience and unwavering determination to progress. The CMD of EPDCL, Prithvitej Immadi, stated that the company has been providing uninterrupted power services with the highest quality standards to 7.3 million consumers within its jurisdiction. Transmission and distribution losses have been reduced to less than 5.8%, positioning the company at the forefront nationwide. He mentioned that free electricity has been provided to 23,024 houses in PVTG tribal areas, 1,979 houses under the DA-JGUA scheme, and 13,000 non-PVTG houses. Under the Prime Minister's Surya Ghar Yojana, 63.522 megawatts of solar rooftop systems have been installed on 19,385 homes, leading the state. As part of the RDSS scheme, new feeders have been established with an investment of Rs 3,004 crore for 24x7 three-phase power supply to rural areas, and 33 kV and 11 kV underground cables are being installed across Visakhapatnam city. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Happy Krishna Janmashtami Wishes ,, messages , and quotes !
