New Delhi: The central government has set an ambitious goal of achieving USD 10 billion in exports of technical textiles under its National Technical Textiles Mission, as stated by Minister of State for Textiles Pabitra Margherita in the Rajya Sabha this week.
Launched in 2020-21 and extended until 2025-26, the Mission has a budget of Rs 1,480 crore, aimed at positioning India as a global leader in the technical textiles sector. Currently, India’s exports in this area are estimated to be between USD 2 billion and USD 3 billion.
Technical textiles refer to textile materials and products designed primarily for their technical performance in various advanced industries. The Mission encompasses four main components:
- Research, innovation, and development, with an allocation of Rs 1,000 crore.
- Promotion and market development, supported by Rs 50 crore.
- Export promotion, receiving Rs 10 crore.
- Education, training, and skill development, with Rs 400 crore dedicated to these efforts.
The focus is on fostering research and innovation, promoting domestic machinery and specialty fibers, raising awareness among users, boosting India’s technical textile exports, and developing a skilled workforce. Minister Margherita highlighted that technical textiles are a rapidly growing sector in India, offering significant growth potential across various industries, including roads, railways, construction, agriculture, healthcare, hygiene, automobiles, defense, space, and industrial safety. The growth and integration of technical textiles are expected to enhance the country’s infrastructure, agriculture, healthcare, and industrial growth, he concluded.