Union Minister for Textiles Shri Giriraj Singh visited Agra, Uttar Pradesh, to assess developments across carpets, handicrafts, footwear, and technical textiles sectors. The visit included facility inspections and stakeholder interactions focused on sustainability, innovation, and export competitiveness.
During the visit, the Minister inspected a carpet manufacturing facility and examined the adoption of sustainable production practices within the industry. These practices included the use of vegetable dyes, organic wool, and environmentally friendly processes aligned with international quality and sustainability standards.
Shri Giriraj Singh also held interactions with stakeholders from the carpet sector, including exporters and designers. The discussions addressed global design trends, the use of sustainable and alternative fibres such as banana fibre, and efforts to strengthen the global positioning of the “India Handmade” brand. The role of indigenous trend forecasting tools such as Vision NXT in supporting design capabilities and export competitiveness was also highlighted.
The Minister later visited a footwear manufacturing unit, where he reviewed developments in the sector. Observations included the growing application of technical textiles in improving product quality and enhancing export potential. The contribution of young professionals to innovation in the footwear industry was also noted.
A stakeholder meeting was organised with representatives from the footwear industry, technical textiles sector, and allied industries. The meeting covered several focus areas, including the use of technical textiles in footwear manufacturing, adoption of AI and advanced technologies in production and design, strengthening product innovation, facilitating the transition to high-end export-oriented footwear, developing strategies to improve India’s share in the global footwear market, and increasing awareness and adoption of technical textiles.
The Minister stated that technical textiles will play a pivotal role in transforming India’s footwear industry into a high-value, design-driven, and globally competitive sector. He also reiterated the Government’s support for both traditional sectors such as carpets and handicrafts and emerging areas like technical textiles.
The visit also featured a handicrafts exhibition highlighting the work of local artisans.
The overall visit focused on sustainability, innovation, technology adoption, and stakeholder engagement as key factors in strengthening India’s textile and allied sectors and improving their global competitiveness.