Europe's Supply-Chain Rules May Force India to Protect Hidden Garment Workers

India's labor laws protect home-based workers on paper but lack enforcement. The real pressure comes from Europe: the EU's new Corporate Sustainability Directive requires importers to verify working conditions in supply chains. Indian exporters in textiles and crafts now face demands to document informal work—historically invisible to regulators. Market compliance, not law, may finally expose and limit exploitative piece-rate contracts.