India offers opportunities for Phl exporters

MANILA, Philippines - As the second fastest growing economy and the 14th in terms of market size globally, India’s growing imports opens huge opportunities for Filipino exporters.

Liyakat Khan, president of Universal Media Group, is encouraging Philippine exporters to participate in trade fairs in India.

“India has a niche in high, middle and lower classes, unlike in other foreign countries whose imports are primarily high-end products,” said Khan during the forum on Indian Market Presentation held recently at SMX Convention in Pasay City.

According to him, Indian crafts are traditional and remain the same since centuries ago. Thus, contemporary designs of Philippine handicrafts can be popular in the Indian market.

PJ Arañador, a Filipino international lifestyle designer who presented an eco-fashion show in New Delhi last year, sponsored by the Ministry of Textiles Government of India, said India has traditions with their crafts and thus, Filipino exporters need contemporary designs to target the Indian market.

“It is difficult for India to let go of their traditions. This is why they even hire Filipino designers,” he added.

The Filipino international designer said Filipino exporters could position their products in India by introducing natural organic materials, like rattan, sinamay, abaca fabrics and other contemporary Filipino products. He also mentioned that Filipino exporters could target the affluent market of Indian weddings.

“Indians like opulence and they spend lots of money in weddings,” Arañador said. “Their weddings require kilos of jewelries because it is their culture to show off their opulence.”

Further explaining how to target the wedding market of India, Arañador recommended that Filipino exporters could export artistic jewelry packaging and also produce flower vases with an “Indian touch.”

Having worked in India and set up his own fashion show there, Arañador suggested that Filipino exporters need to establish business matches in India.