Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday shared an article written by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, highlighting how India’s traditional craftsmanship can become a major driver of economic growth through innovation, global partnerships and improved market access.
In a post on X, the Prime Minister said, “Union Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman highlights how traditional Indian craftsmanship can drive economic growth through innovation and global partnerships. The ‘One District, One Product’ initiative is helping local crafts gain market access, create sustainable livelihoods, preserve heritage and strengthen India’s global competitiveness.”
In her article, the Finance Minister said that traditional crafts should be viewed not merely through the lens of protection and subsidies, but as engines of economic growth capable of competing in global markets. She said artisans achieve lasting security only when their skills generate fair and predictable incomes, describing this as the core promise of the Prime Minister’s ODOP initiative.
Drawing from her recent visit to France for the India-France Economic and Financial Dialogue, Sitharaman highlighted Vastrakala, an Indo-French partnership that combines French haute couture with India’s centuries-old embroidery traditions.
She recounted her visit to the Vastrakala workshop in Gudapakkam, near Chennai, where artisans produce intricate handcrafted embroidery for international markets. The workshop, located in the drought-prone Kanchipuram-Sriperumbudur-Tiruvallur belt, deliberately shifted operations from Chennai to a village to create employment closer to traditional artisan communities.
The Finance Minister said the enterprise demonstrates how labour-intensive businesses rooted in traditional craftsmanship can successfully compete in global markets while preserving cultural heritage. She noted that handcrafted pieces produced at the workshop have found a place in Rashtrapati Bhavan and are also showcased in historic French châteaux, museums, private residences and fashion houses.
FM Sitharaman observed that the workshop supports around 650 artisans through its unit and wider artisan network, with plans for further expansion. She said the initiative allows artisans to earn sustainable livelihoods while remaining connected to their families, villages and cultural traditions.
Highlighting the role of innovation, she said traditional craftsmanship and modern technology complement each other through scientific design processes, material innovation, colour coding, durability testing and preservation of historical accuracy. The collaboration, she noted, demonstrates that innovation can emerge not only from laboratories but also from generations of accumulated knowledge and craftsmanship.
The Finance Minister also drew parallels between India’s success in attracting Global Capability Centres (GCCs) because of its skilled workforce and the untapped global potential of the country’s artistic heritage. She said India’s next frontier of innovation lies not only in developing advanced technologies but also in taking its traditional arts and crafts to international markets.
FM Sitharaman said partnerships such as Vastrakala illustrate how international collaboration can connect Indian artisans with global markets while preserving skills refined over generations. She added that India’s future competitiveness would depend not only on creating new ideas but also on confidently carrying forward its rich cultural traditions as drivers of economic opportunity.
