Bangladesh edges out India in affordable manufacturing

Shiharan

India's global trade share has not kept pace with its economic growth, with Vietnam and Bangladesh overtaking the nation as low-cost manufacturing and export hubs, according to the World Bank's recent report. 

The WB report released on September 3 highlights that the proportion of trade in goods and services as a percentage of India's gross domestic product (GDP) declined over the past decade, despite the country's rapid economic growth. 

Accordingly, India's share in global exports of textiles, leather, and footwear increased from 0.9% in 2002 to a peak of 4.5% in 2013 but then fell to 3.5% in 2022. Vietnam's and Bangladesh’s share in these sectors reached 5.9% and 5.1% in 2022, respectively.  

The bank recommended that India reduce trade costs, lower trade barriers, and deepen trade integration to remain competitive.  The bank expects the Indian economy to continue its rapid growth at a rate of 7% in the current fiscal year, ending in March 2025, following a growth rate of over 8% in the previous year. The multilateral lender also forecasts India's growth to average 6.7% for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 fiscal years.