Industry Leaders Urge More FTAs, Sustainability to Boost India Manufacturing

Leaders from the industry, event partners and associates, FMCG, retail and e-commerce addressed the 14th edition of FICCI’s Massmerize and stressed that it’s important for India to widen Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and ramp up sustainability initiatives as that would be key to India becoming a global manufacturing hub.

At the Massmerize conference, titled “Make in India, Powering the Future of FMCG, Retail and E-Commerce,” speakers indicated that preferential trade access, supported by policy and infrastructure, will be important for closing India’s export gap with competitors globally.

Mayank Mohan, CEO and owner of Mohanlal Sons, said, “Countries like Bangladesh and Vietnam are already exporting more than India in terms of apparel and textiles. Additional FTAs mean cost advantages and preferential treatment, allowing domestic consumption and exports to benefit. If India can negotiate FTAs in broader contexts, it can provide access to key markets, like the UK and US, which can mean the cost edge we require.”

Mohan, in addition, states urged for the extension of Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes to include sustainable apparel and production quality, cautioning that such incentives should not incentivize poor quality and non-sustainable production. 

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On the sustainability side, Aseem Kaushik, Country Managing Director of L’Oreal India, took the opportunity to share the company’s progress in limiting their impact on the environment. 

“Each of our fragrances is now packing in a refillable glass, virtually halving glass, metal, and plastic usage. On the same journey for skincare products, we are moving toward recyclable 1L pouches.” Kaushik added, “L’Oreal’s Indian plants are now 100% renewable energy and plastic neutral.” 

The session, which was moderated by Deloitte India Partner Goldie Dhama, also included leaders from Marico, ChrysCapital, Piramal Critical Care and Kenvue India. All participants agreed that India’s high domestic consumption, combined with the transitions of the global supply chain, provides a strategic opportunity to position India as a competitive manufacturing base.