India s Apparel Sector in the Global Economy-Catching Up or Falling Behind

Given the emphasis on export-oriented development it is especially important to understand the nature of the global production system that shapes the insertion of third world countries like India into the international economy, This paper on the apparel sector focuses on three themes: First, the interlinkages in the organisation of international economic activity and the changing competitive conditions in the global apparel market; second, the associated importance of distribution and marketing links in the apparel production chain; and third, the cotton fabric- based nature of India's apparel exports and its competitive advantage.