Extreme Heat Threatens India's $100 Billion Export Goal

India aims to expand its garment exports to $100 billion by 2030, yet this target is increasingly undermined by a climate reality that affects 45 million workers. A recent study from New York University’s Stern Center reveals that the combination of rising ambient temperatures, failing power grids, and overheated factory machinery is slashing productivity across the industry.

Without immediate structural changes—such as retrofitting factories with advanced cooling systems and improving ventilation—the sector risks losing its competitive edge in the global market. The human and mechanical toll of the heat wave serves as a warning that the country’s industrial growth remains tethered to its ability to adapt to a rapidly warming environment.