India poised to lead global technical textile market: Giriraj Singh

NEW DELHI: According to Giriraj Singh, Union Minister of Textiles, India is set to become a world leader in the technical textile market in the coming years. Speaking at the FICCI and Ministry of Textiles’ event: “Viksit Bharat- Technical Textiles for Sustainable Growth & Development,” the Minister expressed confidence in India’s ability to dominate this rapidly growing sector, which encompasses engineered textile products for various applications, including automotive, aerospace, and medical industries.

“I am fully confident that in the coming days, India will not only lead in market size but will also be number one in the technical textile sector,” Singh stated, highlighting the government’s commitment to fostering growth in this innovative field.

Several key initiatives and developments in India’s technical textile landscape underpin the Minister’s optimistic outlook. A dedicated National Technical Textile Mission with a budget of Rs 1,400 crore has been launched to drive research and development, marketing, export promotion, and education in technical textiles. Minister Singh revealed that 156 R&D projects have already been initiated, signalling a strong push towards innovation in the sector.

The government’s vision for the technical textile sector extends beyond economic growth. Singh emphasised the industry’s dual benefits: “It will provide both safety solutions and employment opportunities to our people,” he said, highlighting the sector’s potential to contribute to India’s socio-economic development.

Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister of State for Textiles, Pabitra Margherita, emphasised the government’s commitment to the technical textile industry. “The Ministry of Textiles has set ambitious targets for India’s technical textile sector, aiming for a domestic market size of $40 billion by 2030 while also targeting total exports of $10 billion by 2030,” Margherita stated.

The Minister highlighted the National Technical Textile Mission (NTTM) as a cornerstone of the government’s strategy. “NTTM is an important step towards developing this industry,” he said. “Key focus areas include 156 R&D projects, the development of new applications for technical textiles, rationalisation of HSN codes, and release of quality control orders.”

Margherita also stressed the sector’s potential to attract foreign direct investment (FDI). “Technical textiles have maximum potential to attract FDI. Favourable state policies are essential to harness this opportunity,” he noted. The Minister urged states that still need to introduce special provisions for technical textiles to consider implementing similar measures.

In a move to boost investment, Margherita extended an invitation to both national and international investors. “I want to invite both the national and international investors present at this conference to invest in the Indian technical textile sector and tap the large untapped market opportunity,”

he said.