The Ministry of Textiles has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening India’s technical textile innovation ecosystem by allocating ₹256 crore under the National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM) for FY 2026-27, with a dedicated provision for supporting start-ups through the Grant for Research and Entrepreneurship across Aspiring Innovators in Technical Textiles (GREAT) Scheme.
The initiative aims to encourage young innovators, scientists, technologists, and start-up ventures to transform research-driven ideas into commercially viable technologies and products. The scheme is designed to accelerate innovation, strengthen domestic manufacturing capabilities, and expand the country’s technical textile ecosystem through industry-led commercialization.
According to information presented in the Lok Sabha by Minister of State for Textiles Shri Pabitra Margherita, the government has approved 31 start-up projects under the GREAT scheme, with a total project cost of ₹15.40 crore, including a Government of India contribution of ₹13.65 crore.
The approved projects cover a wide range of high-growth technical textile segments, including smart textiles, medical textiles, sustainable materials, defence applications, composites, healthcare wearables, hemp-based products, industrial textiles, sports textiles, and space applications.
Several projects focus on next-generation technologies such as energy-generating nanofibre textiles, intelligent wearable systems, shape-memory e-textiles, self-sanitizing medical apparel, spider silk-based sustainable fibres, algae-coated textile alternatives to leather, and advanced biomaterial-based medical textiles.
The initiative also highlights the growing importance of sustainability and circularity within the textile sector. Approved projects include innovations such as flushable sanitary pads, textile waste-based composite panels for construction applications, zero solid discharge systems for textile processing, and antimicrobial textiles developed from natural fibres.
To ensure effective implementation, the Ministry has established an Evaluation and Monitoring Committee (EMC) to assess the technical and financial viability of start-up proposals. Based on the recommendations of the EMC, proposals are submitted to the Empowered Programme Committee (EPC) for final approval.
In addition, a Review and Monitoring Committee has been constituted to oversee the progress of approved projects, recommend the release of subsequent grant instalments, and evaluate project outcomes.
The Ministry has also intensified its outreach efforts through workshops, seminars, public events, and industry engagement programmes to increase awareness of the GREAT scheme and support start-ups in scaling their technologies.
The impact of the scheme extends beyond financial assistance. The Ministry emphasized that the long-term success of these projects depends on strong collaboration between start-ups and established industry partners. Such partnerships are expected to accelerate prototype development, facilitate field trials, improve market adoption, and create commercially scalable products.
The scheme has also demonstrated significant regional participation. Under NTTM, 15 research projects and one application from an educational institution have been approved from Telangana, reflecting the state’s growing contribution to technical textile research and innovation.
As India continues to position itself as a global hub for technical textiles, initiatives such as the GREAT scheme are expected to play a crucial role in developing indigenous technologies, promoting sustainable manufacturing, generating employment, and strengthening the country’s competitiveness in advanced textile applications.
