Introduction

The US has recently put high tariffs on its exports to its markets, which is affecting trade around the world in a big way. The US has imposed a 50% tariff on products like textiles, footwear, and carpets. It has grown very risky to rely on one of these major buyers of Indian products. This isn’t only a short-term obstacle to the industries that make a lot of their revenue from exports in India. It’s a wake-up call for businesses to diversify their markets, follow global rules, and make sure their expansion is sustainable. At the same time, emerging opportunities are changing the export picture in the GCC, EU, UK, and Australia. These regions are not only absorbing Indian products at scale but also rewarding exporters who meet their compliance and regulatory benchmarks.

How U.S. Tariffs Impact Indian Exporters

The new tariff regime is a direct hit on India’s export backbone:

• Textiles & Apparel: Nearly 70% of U.S.-bound orders are at risk.
• Footwear & Leather: Now subject to a 50% import duty.
• Carpets: They used to depend on U.S. customers, but now are among the worst-hit categories.

Exporters are already seeing the effects in big clusters like Surat (diamonds and textiles) and Bhadohi (carpets), where they have witnessed orders withdrawn and margins are getting reduced.

Alternate Markets Ready for Exploration

While demand in the U.S. is going down, demand in other parts of the world is going up:

• GCC (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE):

Thanks to CEPA, Indian textiles, carpets, and footwear enter largely duty-free. In 2024, the UAE bought $1.49 billion worth of textiles and $46 million worth of carpets.

• European Union (Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium): The EU is still a great place for Indian commodities. In 2024, it imported $7.36 billion worth of textiles, $2.56 billion worth of shoes and leather, and $450 million worth of carpets.

 

• United Kingdom: With the India–UK FTA signed, nearly duty-free access is on the horizon. In FY 2024–25, textiles brought in $2.16 billion, footwear brought in $494 million, and carpets brought in $112 million.

 

• Australia: More than 90% of Indian textile lines can enter duty-free under ECTA. In 2024, textiles worth $530 million and carpets worth $31 million were sent abroad.

The facts speak for themselves: India isn’t running out of buyers; it’s finding new ones.

Compliance: The Real Gatekeeper

Getting into a market doesn’t begin with trade agreements; it begins with getting the proper approvals from regulators and product certifications. Before their items can enter, exporters must follow the rules specified by each region.

GCC (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait): Exporters must follow the rules imposed by SASO/SABER in Saudi Arabia and ECAS/EQM in the UAE, as well as the GSO rules that apply to the whole region. All consumer goods must have labels in both Arabic and English.

The European Union (EU) has strict regulations about safety, tracking, and recalls. These are the CE marking for regulated products, the REACH chemical compliance, and the General Product Safety Regulation (EU 2023/988).

Instead of the CE mark, the UKCA mark is now on most products in the UK. To protect consumers, exporters must also follow UK REACH and the General Product Safety Regulations (GPSR 2005).

The AS/NZS standards, which require labels and care instructions, and the Product Safety Australia framework, which keeps an eye on recalls and safety enforcement, all contribute to ensuring that individuals comply with the rules in Australia.

Industry-Specific Compliance Requirements

These general rules apply to all types of products, including textiles, shoes, and carpets. However, three industries that are particularly affected by U.S. tariffs have extra rules that only apply to their industry.

Textiles & Apparels

GCC: Exports must have valid Certificates of Origin under CEPA, ECAS approval, and compliance with dangerous substance restrictions (GSO 1956).

EU: Required fiber composition labeling (Regulation 1007/2011), chemical limits under REACH (eg, azo dyes), and safety design for children’s clothes (EN 14682).

UK: Labels in English for fibers, conformity with UK REACH, and labels on nightwear that say “Keep Away from Fire.”

Australia: Children’s nightwear must meet AS/NZS 1249 fire safety standards and have care labels.

Footwear & Leather 

GCC: SABER/ECAS approvals and Arabic labels, including chemical safety tests for things like Chromium VI and nickel release.

EU: Directive 94/11/EC sets rules on how to mark shoes, and REACH Annex XVII sets limits on some chemicals (Cr VI, DMF).

UK: Footwear composition labeling, compliance with UK REACH, and CE/UKCA certification for PPE footwear (EN ISO 20345).

Australia: Testing consumer goods to make sure they meet the right AS/NZS safety requirements and material standards.

Carpets & Rugs

GCC: SABER/ECAS compliance, Arabic/English fiber labeling, and fire-performance data if buyers ask for them.

EU: CE marking for floor coverings under the Construction Products Regulation (EN 14041), as well as REACH limits on azo dyes and NPEOs.

UK: Labels for the kind of fibers used, EN 13501-1 fire performance ratings for building projects, and UK REACH requirements.

According to the National Construction Code, Australia does fire testing per AS ISO 9239.1 (critical radiant flux and smoke).

(Markek, as a conformity assessment body, ensures seamless entry into your target markets)

Markek: Ensuring Global Market Access

At Markek, however, our mission goes far beyond certifications, we ensure that traders and manufacturers access global markets effectively by easing compliance barriers. Markek is globally accredited with ISO/IEC 17065 (Product Certification Body) and ISO/IEC 17020 (Type-A Inspection Body). It also holds SASO recognition for product certification. These qualifications place us in the same position as other prominent individuals in globally recognized conformity assessment. 

Area of Expertise – We make sure that products meet the regulations in each region, from SABER/ECAS approvals in the GCC to REACH compliance in the EU, UK REACH regulations, and Australia’s ECTA-specific standards.

Professional Excellence – Our team has several years of expertise with testing, inspections, and certification processes, so we ensure every product meets the technical benchmarks demanded by buyers and regulators.

Our approach makes sure businesses don’t just shift the U.S. market to other demanded markets; they grow into the GCC, EU, UK, and Australia in a way that is safe, competitive, and compliant.

Conclusion

The U.S. tariff wall is an obstacle, but it also encourages Indian exporters to broaden their horizons. Demand is abundant in the GCC, EU, UK, and Australia, therefore, now is the time to diversify. India’s exports won’t be limited to one market in the future; they will depend on the country’s capacity to adapt, conform, and grow around the world.

The chance is real for exporters of textiles, shoes, and carpets. The question is, are you ready to do it?