India’s technical textile exports have more than tripled over the last decade, reaching ₹28,392 crore in FY25 from ₹8,827 crore in 2013-14, underlining the sector’s growing importance in the country’s manufacturing and export landscape. The sharp rise was highlighted by Minister of State for Textiles Pabitra Margherita during the National Conference on Technical Textiles – Sportech Bharat Vision 2047, held in New Delhi.
Speaking at the conference, Margherita said the strong export momentum reflects India’s expanding capabilities in high-performance textile manufacturing and the positive impact of government-led initiatives designed to strengthen the sector. He noted that rising domestic and international demand, especially in the Sportech segment, is helping India position itself as a major player in the global technical textiles market.
Sportech demand gains momentum with policy support
The minister pointed to flagship programmes such as Khelo India and Fit India as important demand drivers for high-performance sport-related textile products, including apparel, footwear materials, protective gear, performance fabrics, and sports infrastructure textiles. These initiatives are not only boosting domestic consumption but also encouraging investment and innovation across the Sportech value chain.
The conference, organised by PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) in collaboration with the Ministry of Textiles, brought together policymakers, industry leaders, researchers and manufacturers to discuss strategies for building India into a global technical textile hub under the Vision 2047 roadmap.
Industry seeks duty and GST reforms
While the sector’s long-term outlook remains positive, industry representatives used the platform to call for policy reforms aimed at improving competitiveness. R K Vij, Co-chair of the PHDCCI Textile Committee, urged the government to rationalise duties on key raw materials such as purified terephthalic acid (PTA) and monoethylene glycol (MEG), both widely used in technical textile manufacturing.
He also highlighted the need to address the GST inverted duty structure, which industry stakeholders say increases cost pressures and impacts margins for manufacturers operating in the technical textile segment.
National Technical Textiles Mission enters commercialisation phase
Manisha Chatterjee, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Textiles, said the National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM) is now moving into a more commercially focused phase. She noted that the ministry has approved six research projects and one startup under the Sportech segment, while the PRAMAN guidelines are expected to support quality assurance, certification, and product standardisation.
The transition from research to commercialisation is seen as a critical step in expanding India’s footprint in advanced textile applications across sectors such as sports, healthcare, mobility, construction, defence and industrial use.
Innovation, smart textiles and activewear yarns in focus
The conference also highlighted the growing integration of technical textiles with emerging technologies. Dr Harish K Chatterjee, Director General of the Wool Research Association, emphasised the convergence of textiles with smart sensors, wearable technologies and data analytics, opening new possibilities in functional and performance-based applications.
Adding to the growth outlook, Debabrata Ghosh, Vice President and Sales Director at Barmag India Pvt. Ltd., projected that India’s activewear yarn market could grow at a compound annual growth rate of more than 10 percent between 2026 and 2035, potentially outpacing China’s growth in the segment.
The event also featured technical sessions, an innovation exhibition, and the launch of a Wool Research Association white paper outlining a strategic roadmap for the National Technical Textiles Mission.
With exports rising, innovation accelerating, and Sportech gaining traction, India’s technical textile sector is emerging as a major pillar of the country’s ambition to become a global manufacturing and sourcing hub by 2047.