‘Govt remains committed to achieve $350 billion textile sector by 2030’

New Delhi: Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh on Monday announced that a Mission for Cotton Productivity is under active consideration to bridge India’s wide yield gap and move the sector toward sustainability.

Speaking at the World Cotton Day 2025 celebrations in New Delhi, jointly organised by the Ministry of Textiles and the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI), the Minister said the government remained committed to achieving a $350-billion textile sector by 2030, including $100 billion in exports, while progressing toward carbon neutrality.

“Cotton is not merely a crop, it is the soul of Indian agriculture and a reflection of the farmer’s sweat and resilience,” he said, stressing that India, despite accounting for 40 per cent of the world’s cotton area, produces only around 450 kg per hectare compared with up to 2,000 kg in many countries. He called for the judicious use of water and energy, soil conservation, & adoption of renewable energy to protect rain-fed cotton regions.

The minister said farmer welfare and environmental stewardship must go hand in hand. He pointed to the rising MSP over the past decade and urged ginners, spinners, and exporters to “connect emotionally” with farmers. “Let us make Kasturi Cotton Bharat the pride of every Indian—known globally for purity, quality & sustainability, just like Egyptian Giza or American Supima,” he added.

Union Minister of State for Textiles Pabitra Margherita said India must strive for global leadership in quality and ethical production, adding that the Kasturi Cotton initiative aligned with the government’s 5F (farm-fibre-factory-fashion-foreign) vision. The event concluded with the signing of several MoUs under the Kasturi Cotton Bharat initiative with firms such as Arvind Ltd., Nitin Spinners, and the Noida Apparel Export Cluster.