New Delhi/Paris, September 06 (H.S.): Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, on Sunday inaugurated the ‘Who’s Next’ exhibition at the Indian pavilion at an international trade exhibition being held in Paris, the capital of France.

According to the Ministry of Textiles, the exhibition prominently showcases the cultural diversity and global potential of India’s rich fashion, handloom, handicrafts and lifestyle ecosystem. With the objective of strengthening India’s participation in Europe and expanding the reach of Indian products in local markets, the Textiles Secretary held bilateral discussions with the senior leadership of WSN.

During the discussions, she held extensive deliberations on the global export potential of Indian products with WSN Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Frédéric Maus, Director of International Development and Promotion Sandrine Meziat, and Director of Business Development Sylvia Porat.

A total of 94 Indian exhibitors are participating at the global platform. The key objectives of the initiative are to establish direct business matchmaking between international buyers and Indian exhibitors, promote environmentally friendly and sustainable fashion globally, and strengthen the long-term partnership between India and WSN. The initiative is also expected to open new avenues for emerging Indian brands and exporters to access international markets.

It is noteworthy that during her visit to Paris, Neelam Shammi Rao also witnessed a landmark India-France agreement aimed at taking the Indian textile and fashion industry to new heights on the global stage. The Bharat Textile Trade Federation (BTTF) and Première Vision SA, one of the world’s leading platforms for creative fashion and textiles, signed a multi-year strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Wednesday, September 2.

Earlier, Rao visited the Decathlon SportsLab in the Lille metropolitan area. The facility is a major centre for research-driven innovation in sportswear, performance products and human-centred design. During the visit, she was briefed on advanced work being undertaken in biomechanics, body morphology, movement science, thermal comfort and product testing. The visit highlighted how research and technology can be leveraged to develop products offering enhanced performance, greater safety and improved comfort.

During her visit, Neelam Shami Rao also visited ENSAIT in Roubaix, one of France’s leading institutions for textile engineering, higher education, research and innovation.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar