The Ministry of Textiles on Tuesday inaugurated a two-day national summit aimed at transforming India into a global textile export powerhouse, with a target of increasing textile and apparel exports from the current USD 37 billion to USD 100 billion by 2030.
The Departmental Summit on “Textiles for Global Markets: Strategy for Achieving USD 100 Billion Exports by 2030” was inaugurated in New Delhi as part of the Cabinet Secretariat’s initiative to strengthen Centre-State collaboration and promote cooperative federalism in achieving national development goals.
The summit is aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of making India a global leader in textiles through the integrated value chain approach of “Farm to Fibre, Fibre to Factory, Factory to Fashion and Fashion to Foreign.”
Extensive National Consultation Shapes Strategy
The event brought together senior representatives from all States and Union Territories, district administrations, export promotion councils, industry bodies, exporters, financial institutions, academic institutions and other stakeholders.
The summit is the culmination of one of the largest consultative exercises undertaken by the Ministry of Textiles. The process included consultations across all 36 States and Union Territories, nearly 200 district-level discussions and participation from more than 5,000 stakeholders.
These consultations resulted in the preparation of 36 State Export Action Plans (SEAPs) and 200 District Export Action Plans (DEAPs), which are expected to serve as the foundation for India’s future textile export strategy.
District-Led Growth Key to Export Expansion
Addressing the inaugural session, Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh emphasized the importance of district-led export growth, product diversification, value addition and targeted development of Champion and Aspirational Districts.
He highlighted the need to focus on technical textiles, branded products, sustainability, skill development and improved market access to achieve the ambitious export target.
Minister of State for Textiles and External Affairs Pabitra Margherita and Textiles Secretary Neelam Shami Rao also stressed the critical role of state governments in driving exports through decentralized planning, value addition and brand creation.
During the inaugural session, the Ministry released two publications: “Leveraging India’s Recent FTAs – A Textiles Perspective” and “How to Export – A Textiles Perspective.”
Focus on Textile Clusters and Global Competitiveness
The first day featured three thematic sessions, beginning with discussions on district and cluster-led export strategies.
A major focus was placed on India’s leading textile clusters, including Ludhiana, Tiruppur, Surat, and Bhadohi.
Industry leaders, exporters and government representatives discussed the growth journeys of these clusters, challenges facing exporters and strategies to enhance global competitiveness.
Participants emphasized the need to align production with changing global demand patterns, particularly the growing shift from cotton-based products to man-made fibre (MMF) textiles. The session also highlighted the importance of strengthening district-level value chains and improving export infrastructure.
Innovation, Branding and Technical Textiles Take Centre Stage
The second session focused on product innovation, design enhancement, value addition and consumer-centric product development.
Discussions highlighted the unique textile heritage of India’s Northeast, the growing importance of Geographical Indication (GI) products, and opportunities in premium segments such as Pashmina and technical textiles.
Stakeholders stressed the importance of building strong brand identities, improving traceability, adopting innovative materials and strengthening local producer collectives to enhance India’s global market presence.
Export Enablers and Manufacturing Ecosystems Discussed
The third session examined key factors necessary to support textile export growth, including access to credit; logistics and transportation infrastructure; PM-MITRA Parks; state-level incentives and policy support; technology adoption; labour compliance; and skill development.
Participants discussed ways to address cost disadvantages, improve supply chain efficiency and develop integrated manufacturing ecosystems that can compete effectively in international markets.
Several successful state and industry models were showcased as examples of how coordinated policy support, infrastructure investment and ecosystem development can drive export growth.
States Discuss Regional Priorities
Representatives from States and Union Territories also participated in thematic breakout sessions focused on region-specific opportunities, challenges and interventions identified through State and District Export Action Plans.
These discussions aimed to ensure that local strengths and regional priorities are incorporated into the national export strategy.
National Textile Export Roadmap 2030 in the Works
The Ministry said that the recommendations emerging from the summit will be consolidated into a comprehensive National Textile Export Roadmap 2030, which will provide strategic direction for expanding India’s textile exports over the next five years.
The roadmap is expected to focus on strengthening district and cluster ecosystems, promoting sustainable and value-added manufacturing, enhancing the benefits of free trade agreements and positioning India as a preferred global sourcing destination.
