So, what does India need to do to improve its manufacturing competitiveness? The two major drivers contributing to lack of competitiveness of Indian apparel are raw material and labor. On raw material, India’s traditional advantage in cotton production and cotton textile value chain has been negated by poor and declining cotton yields, import duty on cotton fibre, lack of factor cost competitiveness (power, water, capital) coupled with high regulatory burden (effluent treatment).

When government clearances, bureaucratic obstructionism and corruption are all holding back Indian startups, especially in manufacturing, why is the minister pointing fingers at Indian entrepreneurs?