India

A new report says that 1 in 7 women working in Bengaluru’s garment industry face sexual abuse while at work. The report, jointly released by British NGO Sisters for Change and Bengaluru-based Munnade, says that 60% of the women workers also face other forms of intimidation and violence while at work. The groups point out that while laws are in place to prevent such incidents, enforcement is lax in many cases. (Reuters)
 
ASSOCHAM, The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry in India, is warning that the global economic implications of the recent “Brexit” vote are much larger than initially perceived. In a recent whitepaper, the group called on the Indian government to closely monitor the British transition process away from the E.U. and assess any potential effects on India. The group also expressed confidence that India’s strong economy could help to spare the country any major fallout. (Fibre2Fashion)
 
The Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI) says that the country’s apparel exports could top US$20 billion during the current fiscal year thanks to the government’s new textile package. The group says that the new package would not only help to attract significant new investment, but also help to grow India’s production capacity. (Fibre2Fashion)
 
India’s textile sector is the third-largest contributor of “stressed loans,” according to the latest Financial Stability Report released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The group says that 8.8% of textile industry accounts slipped into the “non-performing asset” category last year and that the sector accounted for the second-highest amount of outstanding revenue after the iron and steel industry. The RBI also notes that risks to India’s banking sector have increased since the release of last year’s report. (Fibre2Fashion)