Chennai, May 18 -- As the West Asian crisis broke out late February, Sunil JhunJhunWala, managing director and co-founder of Tiruppur-based Techno Sportswear Pvt. Ltd, an active wear brand, moved fast.

The disruption to the movement of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, he rightly surmised, would affect the supply of polyester filament yarn (PFY)-a raw material derived from crude oil-which he imports from China. As much as 15% of global crude oil needs and 50% of China's consumption transit through this narrow passage connecting the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea.

He quickly dispatched a team to China to ensure continuous supply of raw material. He worked with his bankers to increase his working capital limits by 50%. This ensured tha...