A high-level delegation from the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade (INTA) visited the Panipat Textile Recycling Cluster, India’s largest hub for recycled and circular textiles, as part of an official study tour to India.
The delegation included seven Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and two senior officials from the INTA Secretariat, who aimed to gain insights into India’s evolving sustainability landscape and assess potential cooperation between India and the European Union (EU) in circular textiles and the forthcoming India–EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
The visitors were received by Mr. Parvinder Kadyan, Chairman of the Global Alliance for Textiles Sustainability (GATS), alongside key Panipat industrialists, sustainability experts, and representatives from the Foundation for MSME Clusters. Their discussions focused on strengthening textile circularity, trade competitiveness, and aligning with the EU’s upcoming sustainability regulations — particularly the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) frameworks.
Widely known as India’s recycling capital, Panipat processes thousands of tons of textile waste every day. The cluster is globally acclaimed for converting discarded textiles into high-quality fibers, yarns, and garments. The visit highlighted how Indian textile MSMEs are modernizing technology, enhancing compliance, and building traceability systems to meet global circular-economy standards.
The delegation also visited one of the region’s leading spinning units, where they observed the transformation of post-consumer textile waste into recycled fibers and yarns — a strong example of India’s innovation in developing cost-efficient, low-impact, and transparent circular solutions that support global fashion brands.
During the visit, Mr. Parvinder Kadyan remarked:
“Panipat represents the spirit of circularity and resilience. Circularity is a global concept — it cannot be achieved in silos. Everyone has to play their part. With the right India–EU collaboration, we can build the world’s most responsible and resource-efficient textile ecosystem — creating green jobs, conserving resources, and proving that sustainability and profitability can grow together.”
The Members of the European Parliament commended India’s textile industry for its proactive sustainability initiatives and reaffirmed their commitment to deeper cooperation in circular economy innovation, sustainable trade, and climate-focused manufacturing partnerships between the EU and India.