AEPC Chairman Meets Union Finance Minister to Discuss Export Support Measures

Following his appointment as Chairman of the Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC), Dr. A. Sakthivel held a meeting with Union Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi on 6 January 2026. The interaction focused on ongoing government initiatives aimed at supporting apparel exporters, particularly micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

During the meeting, Dr. Sakthivel acknowledged the Government of India’s continued policy support for the export sector. He referred specifically to measures such as the Interest Subvention Scheme, credit guarantee coverage for export-linked working capital loans to MSMEs under the CGTMSE, and the extension of trade finance support for exports of selected products.

The AEPC Chairman also raised the issue of liquidity constraints faced by smaller exporters and requested consideration for an enhancement of the higher cap limit under the Interest Subvention Scheme. He noted that such a step could help improve competitiveness and ease working capital pressures for MSME apparel exporters operating in a challenging global trade environment.

The meeting reflected ongoing engagement between industry bodies and the government on policy measures aimed at strengthening India’s apparel export performance.