Business
Pakistan eyes BRICS+ to boost trade | The Express Tribune
LAHORE:
Pakistan’s fashion and textile industry is stepping into a new era of global engagement as the BRICS+ Fashion Summit 2025 in Moscow opens fresh opportunities for trade diversification and cultural diplomacy.
The event, endorsed by more than 50 of the world’s leading fashion weeks, has provided a vital platform for countries like Pakistan to showcase their textile artistry, innovation and craftsmanship to non-traditional markets beyond the West.
The Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PRGMEA) hailed the successful organisation of the summit and called for using this international platform to strengthen Pakistan’s trade and fashion outreach across Central Asia and Russia.
Mubashar Naseer Butt, PRGMEA’s former central chairman who represented Pakistan for the third time at the summit, said the BRICS+ initiative presents a major opportunity to diversify Pakistan’s export markets beyond the West by building stronger linkages with the fast-growing Eurasian economies.
“BRICS+ is not just an exhibition, it is a bridge between economies, cultures and people,” Butt said. “Pakistan has the creativity, production capacity and craftsmanship to excel in new markets. The summit allows us to project our textile heritage, from Ajrak and Pashmina to embroidered fashion collections, in ways that connect with global buyers seeking authenticity and diversity.”
The BRICS+ Fashion Summit, which brought together participants from more than 100 emerging and established markets, also led to the formation of the BRICS International Fashion Federation (BRICS IFF). Supported by dozens of international fashion weeks, the federation aims to foster cross-cultural collaboration, sustainability and innovation through design and technology.
For Pakistan, participation in such global platforms is crucial as it looks to lessen its export dependence on the West. Textile exports, the backbone of the national economy, stood at $17.88 billion in fiscal year 2024-25, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. However, nearly two-thirds of these exports still go to traditional Western destinations, mainly the United States and the European Union.
Butt emphasised that Pakistan is ideally positioned to act as a trade bridge between South Asia, Central Asia and Europe. To turn that geographical advantage into tangible results, he called for the creation of a Pak-Russia Business Council under the BRICS+ framework and the establishment of reliable banking channels to ensure smooth transactions between Pakistani exporters and Russian importers.
He also urged for visa facilitation for business leaders and more structured participation of Pakistani brands in the upcoming BRICS+ fashion events.
Nisar Ahmed, a textile trader, said that platforms like BRICS+ offer a much-needed space for Pakistan’s textile sector to evolve. “To tap the true potential of this platform, Pakistan has to show the world its creativity while speeding up value addition in textile products,” he said. “Our competitors are already blending heritage with high fashion and technology. If we want to remain relevant, we must invest in modern design capabilities, sustainable production and quick delivery models,” he added.
The BRICS+ summit also highlighted the growing importance of Fashion Tech – a field that merges technology with fashion through innovations like 3D clothing modeling, smart fabrics and virtual try-ons. Such advancements, experts believe, can help Pakistan cut production costs, improve design efficiency and align with sustainability standards increasingly demanded by global buyers.
However, experts agree that Pakistan’s textile future depends on how fast it adapts to new realities. While cultural richness gives Pakistan an edge, the country’s real breakthrough lies in innovation, consistency and global visibility.
“Fashion today is about more than fabric, it’s about storytelling, technology and speed. If Pakistan combines all three, the world will start looking towards us not just as a manufacturer, but as a trendsetter.” Ahmed said, adding “this is the only way for Pakistan to increase the export revenue towards $25 billion per year, a landmark figure, which is still a dream for country’s vibrant sector.”
Business
IndusInd Promoter IIHL, Invesco Launch Asset Management Joint Venture In India
Last Updated:
IndusInd International Holdings Limited acquires 60 percent of Invesco Asset Management India, forming a joint venture with Invesco.
IIHL, Invesco Launch AMC Joint Venture; IIHL Holds 60% Stake
IndusInd International Holdings Limited (“IIHL”), the promoter of IndusInd Bank, and Invesco Ltd. (“Invesco”) announced today that they have completed the formation of their asset management joint venture (“JV”) following IIHL’s acquisition of a 60% ownership stake in Invesco Asset Management India (“IAMI”) following all regulatory approvals and closing conditions. With Invesco retaining the balance 40% stake, both IIHL and Invesco will hold joint sponsor status under the regulatory framework.
As of September 2025, IAMI is the 16th largest domestic asset manager in India with combined onshore and offshore (through advisory) average assets under management of INR 148,358 crores for the quarter ending September 2025 and a presence in 40 cities across the country.
Both partners contribute their respective strengths to the venture, with Invesco offering its global investment management expertise and product range, while IIHL will support, through its promoted entity and subsidiaries, a robust distribution network comprising over 11,000 touchpoints across India and serving a customer base of 45 million. IIHL will also deploy the reach of several associate entities of its global shareholders that offer synergistic business operations to widen the customer base by another 50 million.
There will be no change in IAMI’s focus on investment excellence and exceptional client service. The JV will continue to operate under the same management led by Saurabh Nanavati, with the same disciplined and research-driven investment philosophy and processes that have been central to its investment offerings since 2008, ensuring strong continuity for investors, distributors, and other stakeholders.
Mr. Ashok Hinduja, Chairman, IIHL, said, “At IIHL, we are very enthused with this JV with Invesco, to augment our para banking portfolio by including Asset Management, and be a global financial (BFSI) powerhouse by 2030. This is the most opportune time, when India, on the back of rising income levels, favourable demographics, offers enormous investment prospects to all Indians, the diaspora included. We will endeavour to reach the last home, last investor transparently and efficiently and live up to investors’ expectation that mutual fund sahi hai”
Motilal Oswal Investment Advisors acted as the exclusive financial advisor to IIHL. Crawford Bayley and AZB acted as legal advisors to IIHL & Invesco, respectively.
Founded in 1993 under the visionary leadership of the late Shri S.P. Hinduja and his three brothers, IIHL is an investment holding Company well-regulated by the Financial Services Commission, Mauritius, under a Global Business License and is governed by the Board of Directors. Its investment portfolio under various Regulatory jurisdictions comprises Banking Services (IndusInd Bank, IIHL Bank & Trust Limited- Bahamas), Capital Market Assets (Afrinex Exchange Limited, Mauritius, with a cumulative listing of $13.5bn of underlying securities). Recently, it acquired the Insurance Businesses (Life, Non-Life, and Health) along with the Securities business of Reliance Capital Ltd to augment its portfolio.
IAMI began operations in India in late 2008 with the acquisition of Lotus India Asset Management Company and has since grown to serve over 2.9. million retail investor folios and over 48,000 empanelled distributors, with over 70% of its AUM in equity and equity-oriented assets. Invesco also operates an enterprise centre in Hyderabad employing more than 1,700 staff across a range of global support functions, including information technology, investment operations, finance, compliance, and human resources.

Varun Yadav is a Sub Editor at News18 Business Digital. He writes articles on markets, personal finance, technology, and more. He completed his post-graduation diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Inst…Read More
Varun Yadav is a Sub Editor at News18 Business Digital. He writes articles on markets, personal finance, technology, and more. He completed his post-graduation diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Inst… Read More
November 02, 2025, 13:50 IST
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Business
October GST collection up 4.6% to Rs 2 Lakh-crore despite tax cuts – The Times of India
NEW DELHI: The impact of pre-GST revamp pause in sale of several products, such as automobiles and white goods, and the lower rates rolled out from Sept 22 slowed down the growth in gross GST receipts but the mop up remained close to the Rs 2 lakh crore-level, data for October showed. Official numbers released on Saturday showed GST collections in Oct for transactions in Sept totalled 1.96 lakh crore, an increase of 4.6% compared to Rs 1.87 lakh crore in October last year.This was the slowest pace of increase this fiscal. In Aug and Sept, GST collection rose 6.5% to Rs 1.86 lakh crore and at 9.1% to Rs 1.89 lakh crore. Gross domestic revenue grew 2% to Rs 1.45 lakh crore, while tax from imports rose nearly 13% to Rs 50,884 crore in October. The data showed GST refunds rose 39.6% year-on-year in Oct to Rs 26,934 crore.In Sept, GST Council had unveiled reforms to GST rate structure, which led to a sharp reduction in rates on a raft of items, bringing relief to consumers, and the latest data showed apprehensions of decline in collections have been negated.The rate cuts, effective September 22, have revived consumption demand, and experts said GST revenues for Nov are likely to show a sharp rebound.“Despite massive rate cuts effective from September 22, a slight increase in domestic GST collection is very encouraging and shows that demand is steadily increasing,” said Pratik Jain, Partner at consulting firm Price Waterhouse & Co LLP.“Consistent increase in GST refunds (domestic as well as exports) shows confidence of tax administration that GST collections would show positive trend in future as well. Next month’s data would have the full impact of GST cuts and would be keenly awaited,” added Jain.On the back of a fillip provided by a reduction in GST on 375 items, consumers had flocked to stores and car dealerships resulting in highest Navratri sales in over a decade, government officials had earlier said, citing industry data.“The GST collections, while aligning with immediate expectations, reflect a muted momentum in Sept primarily due to rate rationalisation effect in the majority part of the Sept month and the deferred consumer spending ahead of the upcoming festive season. This anticipated lag is likely to be compensated by more robust numbers in the next month, driven by seasonal buoyancy,” said Saurabh Agarwal, Tax Partner at EY India. “The impressive, high percentage growth in collections from states and UTs like Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Lakshadweep and Ladakh is a tangible indicator of holistic economic development across India,” he said.
Business
Urban Company Sees Rs 59.3 Crore Loss In Q2 Due To Investments In Insta Help
New Delhi: Home services provider Urban Company on Saturday announced a net loss of Rs 59.3 crore in Q2FY26, a significant drop from a profit of Rs 6.9 crore in the previous quarter. The loss was attributed to heavy upfront investments in its new daily-housekeeping vertical, Insta Help, which overshadowed strong revenue growth in its core services and products businesses, according to regulatory filings by the Gurugram-based firm.
The company posted a loss of Rs 1.82 crore in the July-September quarter last year, the company said. While revenue from operations increased 37 per cent year-on-year to Rs 380 crore, the total expenses rose to Rs 462 crore from Rs 384 crore in Q1. This resulted in adjusted EBITDA turning negative at Rs 35 crore, compared with a profit of Rs 21 crore in Q1.
Insta Help reported an EBITDA loss of Rs 44 crore, and excluding this segment, Urban Company achieved an adjusted EBITDA profit of Rs 10 crore, accounting for 0.9 per cent of net transaction value (NTV), the company noted.
“Early indicators for Insta Help are encouraging, with strong consumer adoption and repeat usage,” the company said in its shareholder letter. It added that it believed the segment holds “significant long-term opportunity and believes these investments are important to sustaining market leadership.”
The company expects its adjusted EBITDA losses to continue in the near term due to further investments in the Insta Help vertical, despite its core India and international businesses remaining profitable and cash-generating.
The company’s smart home products vertical, Native, which sells water purifiers and electronic door locks, recorded revenue of Rs 75 crore, up 179 per cent YoY, while losses narrowed to 9 per cent of NTV from 30 per cent in the previous year.
The home services provider closed the quarter with Rs 2,136 crore in cash and equivalents, up from Rs 1,664 crore in the previous quarter, mainly due to proceeds from its recent IPO.
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