India has done little to clear away hurdles for labor-intensive manufacturing
Manufacturing: 17% of GDP two decades ago, 13% in 2023
India has 65 million manufacturing jobs
Annual apparel exports in 2023: {India: \$15 B, Bangladesh: \$38 B, Vietnam: \$30 B}
The U.S. and Europe are the world's biggest apparel buyers
Bangladesh’s clothing exports enjoy duty-free access the U.S. and Europe
Factories in India with over 100 employees require government permission to fire workers. Those with at least 50 female workers must set up an on-site nursery. Adding a second shift to turnaround large orders quickly also requires prior government approval.
Bangladesh's main trade group, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association
Nearly 60% of Bangladesh factories have 3,000 workers or more, compared with an average of 150 workers per factory in India.
technical fabrics for automobiles and accessories
Trump canceled India’s special trade status in 2019