Union Minister of Textiles Shri Giriraj Singh has highlighted the remarkable transformation of India’s textile and apparel sector over the past 12 years, stating that the industry has emerged as a globally competitive, innovation-driven and employment-intensive pillar of the Indian economy under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
Addressing the media, the Minister said the sector’s growth has been guided by the Prime Minister’s visionary 5F framework—Farm to Fibre, Fibre to Factory, Factory to Fashion and Fashion to Foreign—which has helped create an integrated value chain connecting farmers, manufacturers, weavers, artisans and exporters across the country.
According to the Minister, India’s textile and apparel industry has expanded to nearly USD 190 billion in 2025-26 and is on track to achieve the ambitious target of USD 350 billion by 2030. The domestic textile market has grown significantly from approximately ₹6 lakh crore in 2014-15 to more than ₹16 lakh crore today, reflecting the sector’s increasing contribution to economic growth and industrial development.
Shri Giriraj Singh noted that the textile and apparel sector currently provides direct employment to over 5.3 crore people and is expected to create nearly 2 crore additional jobs within the next three years, reinforcing its role as one of India’s largest employment generators.
Landmark Reforms Driving Industry Growth
The Minister emphasized that a series of transformative initiatives introduced by the Government have strengthened the entire textile value chain and improved India’s global competitiveness.
Key programmes include the PM MITRA Parks Scheme, Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme, National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM), Textiles Export Promotion Mission (TEEM), National Fibre Mission and Raw Material Support Scheme (RMSS). These initiatives are driving investments, encouraging technological modernization, enhancing sustainability and boosting export performance.
To support cotton farmers and ensure adequate raw material availability, the Government launched the Cotton Productivity Mission and removed import duties on cotton. Export competitiveness has also been strengthened through schemes such as RoSCTL and RoDTEP.
The Minister highlighted India’s expanding global trade network, noting that the number of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) has increased from 10 agreements covering 19 countries in 2014 to 18 agreements covering 56 countries today. Despite global economic uncertainties, India has successfully diversified its export destinations and recorded export growth in 135 countries.
Technical Textiles Emerge as a Growth Engine
A major achievement highlighted by the Minister was the rapid expansion of India’s technical textiles sector. Under the National Technical Textiles Mission, the market has grown from approximately USD 6 billion to USD 25 billion, positioning India as a significant player in advanced textile applications.
Large-scale investments in research, innovation, incubation centres and industry-academia partnerships are helping create a future-ready ecosystem capable of meeting global demand for high-performance textile products.
Infrastructure and Employment Expansion
Significant progress has also been made in textile infrastructure development. Seven PM MITRA Parks are being established across key states to create integrated textile manufacturing ecosystems.
These mega textile parks are expected to attract investments worth nearly ₹70,000 crore and generate approximately 21 lakh employment opportunities across the textile value chain.
The powerloom sector has benefited from technology upgradation initiatives, while the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) has expanded its academic footprint and launched innovative projects such as VisioNxt and INDIASize to strengthen India’s design, fashion and apparel ecosystem.
Handloom and Handicrafts Sector Witness Strong Growth
Minister of State for Textiles Shri Pabitra Margherita highlighted the significant progress made in the handloom and handicrafts sectors over the last decade.
He stated that nearly ₹2,000 crore has been invested through the National Handloom Development Programme, benefiting lakhs of weavers through improved looms, skill development programmes, infrastructure support and enhanced market access.
Initiatives such as the Government e-Marketplace (GeM), India Handmade Portal, GI tagging, Mega Handloom Clusters and the Weavers’ MUDRA Scheme have helped strengthen livelihoods, improve market connectivity and reduce dependence on intermediaries.
The handicrafts sector has similarly benefited from cluster development programmes, artisan identity cards, skill enhancement initiatives and marketing support, enabling artisans to increase productivity and improve incomes.
Women Empowerment and Future Outlook
Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Smt. Neelam Shami Rao, emphasized the critical role played by the textile industry in women’s empowerment, noting that women constitute a substantial share of the workforce and are increasingly emerging as successful entrepreneurs across the textile value chain.
She expressed confidence that continued policy support, infrastructure development, investment promotion, skill enhancement and technological innovation will further strengthen India’s position as a global textile powerhouse.
The Ministry believes that the achievements of the past 12 years reflect the Government’s commitment to transforming India from a low-cost manufacturing destination into a design-led, innovation-driven, sustainable and export-oriented textile hub, contributing significantly to the vision of Viksit Bharat and India’s long-term economic growth.