New Delhi: The Bharat Tex Trade Federation (BTTF) and Première Vision SA, one of the world’s leading international platforms for creative fashion, textiles and sourcing, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a multi-year institutional partnership aimed at strengthening India’s engagement with the global fashion and textile ecosystem.
The MoU was signed on September 2, 2026, at the Première Vision exhibition in Paris by Dr. A. Sakthivel, Core Committee Member, BTTF and Chairman, Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC), and Ms. Florence Rousson, CEO – Fashion Division, Première Vision SA.
The signing ceremony took place in the presence of Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, and Dr. M. Beena, Development Commissioner (Handlooms).
The partnership between the Bharat Tex Trade Federation and Première Vision builds upon the Letter of Intent (LoI) signed on July 14, 2026, at Bharat Tex 2026 in New Delhi.
The LoI was signed in the presence of Union Minister of Textiles Shri Giriraj Singh and outlined a vision for sustained collaboration across trade, sourcing, design, sustainability and heritage.
Connecting Indian Textiles with the Global Fashion Ecosystem
Première Vision has served as an international benchmark for the fashion industry for more than five decades.
The partnership with the Bharat Tex Trade Federation is expected to provide an avenue for Indian textile manufacturers, exporters, designers and artisans to connect with international buyers, fashion houses and premium sourcing networks.
A key strategic objective of the partnership is to facilitate India’s movement beyond volume-driven exports towards high-value, design-led and premium segments of the global fashion industry.
Première Vision’s trend intelligence platforms will support Indian enterprises in aligning with global market demands and developing relationships with buyers seeking sustainable and high-quality sourcing solutions.
The collaboration between the Bharat Tex Trade Federation and Première Vision will bring together India’s diverse textile ecosystem and Première Vision’s international fashion and sourcing network, creating opportunities for greater engagement with premium and luxury segments.
Stronger Market Access Amid India-EU Trade Momentum
The partnership comes at an important juncture following the conclusion of negotiations for the India-EU Free Trade Agreement in January 2026.
The agreement provided preferential market access on 96.8% of tariff lines covering 99.5% of India’s exports, with 90.7% of exports by trade value expected to become duty-free upon coming into force.
For the textile and apparel sector, the opportunity is particularly significant. The EU’s global textile and apparel imports stood at approximately US$292.8 billion in 2025, while India’s textile and apparel exports to the EU are currently around US$10.4 billion.
The proposed zero-duty access across textile and clothing tariff lines under the India-EU FTA is expected to create opportunities for Indian exporters across garments, textiles, yarns and home textiles, while enhancing India’s competitiveness in the European market.
Against this backdrop, the Bharat Tex Trade Federation and Première Vision partnership is aimed at strengthening market linkages and helping Indian textile businesses access international premium and luxury fashion markets.
Government Highlights Role of Bharat Tex
Speaking on the occasion, Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, stated: “Bharat Tex, envisioned under the 5F Vision of Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has emerged as the world’s largest integrated textiles event, with a strong focus on trade, sustainability and investment.
This partnership with Première Vision is a natural progression, creating new opportunities to showcase India’s luxury textiles and rich heritage to Europe and the world, while benefiting artisans, weavers, designers, women entrepreneurs and MSMEs across the country.”
Dr. A. Sakthivel, Core Committee Member of BTTF, stated: “This partnership with Première Vision will connect Indian textiles more closely with global markets while showcasing our rich heritage and advancing sustainability, reinforcing India’s position as a competitive and responsible textile hub.”
Florence Rousson, CEO of Première Vision’s Fashion Division, added: “We are delighted to partner with BTTF to foster creativity, innovation and responsible sourcing, while creating new opportunities for Indian and French stakeholders across the textile value chain.”
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Bharat Tex Trade Federation and Première Vision Partnership: Key Areas of Collaboration
The MoU between the Bharat Tex Trade Federation and Première Vision will be overseen by a Joint Steering Committee.
The two organisations will collaborate across several areas, including delegation participation, knowledge exchange, export promotion, market linkages, sustainability and heritage craftsmanship.
- Delegation and Knowledge Sessions: The partnership will facilitate reciprocal participation of exhibitors, delegations, speakers and experts across both trade shows. This will be supported by joint export promotion initiatives and buyer-seller meets.
- Export Promotion and Market Linkages: The organisations will undertake joint export promotion initiatives to enhance market access. These will include buyer-seller meets, reverse buyer-seller meets, exchange of market intelligence and cooperation benefiting both parties.
- Sustainability: The Bharat Tex Trade Federation and Première Vision will promote circularity, traceability and responsible production. Both organisations will also cooperate on sustainability initiatives at their respective events.
- Heritage and Craftsmanship: The partnership will establish an Eternal Crafts Collaboration aimed at showcasing Indian and French heritage and textiles to the international luxury and creative fashion community.
As part of this initiative, “A Living Thread” will be showcased in January 2027, representing artisans and ateliers and highlighting Indian hand embroidery, handloom and allied heritage techniques alongside French textile heritage.
The Bharat Tex Trade Federation partnership marks a step towards enabling Indian enterprises to access higher-value international markets.
