Surat, July 15 -- The India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is expected to provide a much-needed boost to India's textile and garment industry by improving export competitiveness, generating employment and helping Indian manufacturers compete more effectively with rivals such as Bangladesh and Vietnam, local industry representatives said.

Speaking with ANI, Rangnath Sharda, a textile businessman and producer, said India will likely overtake Bangladesh and Vietnam following the India-UK FTA.

"Our domestic business will accelerate. People will get employment and workers who were sitting at home will return to work," he said.

Calling Surat the largest man-made fibre textile hub in Asia, Sharda said the industry had been facing a prolonged s...