Pacts signed among different agencies for trade promotion
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed in February 2012 between the Indian Ministry of Textiles and the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Consumer Protection of the Republic of Mauritius, for collaboration in the field of textiles and clothing. The MoU seeks to enhance trade and economic relations by expanding business and co-operation in the sphere of textiles and clothing, including sericulture and silk and fashion industries, between the two countries.
Under the MoU, a joint committee on the Textile & Clothing (T&C) sector was constituted. The committee held two rounds of meetings – the first on July 23, 2012, in New Delhi, and the second on January 28, 2013, in Port Louis, Mauritius – and has successfully developed the following five MoUs between institutions of both countries for strengthening co-operation in the textile sector:
• The MoU between the Apparel Exports Promotion Council (AEPC) and Enterprise Mauritius (EM) for development of the driving industry in sustainable human advancement (DISHA) programme in Mauritius envisages AEPC enabling Enterprise Mauritius in partnership with the Mauritius Standard Bureau and other stakeholders to develop the compliance code, the toolkit and guidance document as well as training schedules.
• The MoU between the Northern India Textile Research Association (NITRA) and the Mauritius Standard Bureau (MSB) to establish co-operation in the field of standardization, quality assurance and conformity assessment activities, accreditation of laboratories and proficiency in testing as well as capacity building and information exchange.
• The MoU between NITRA and the National Productivity and Competitiveness Council (NPCC) to establish co-operation in the field of productivity and quality improvement.
• The MoU between the Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI) and the Mauritius Export Association (MEXA) to promote co-operation in the field of fashion and design promotion, education and training through effective knowledge network of textile professionals and industry representatives of India and Mauritius.
• The MoU between the Institute of Apparel Management (IAM) and the Fashion and Design Institute of Mauritius (FDI) to establish co-operation in the field of design and delivery of training programmes in the fields of textiles and fashion technology as well as academic interaction.