Addressing at CITI Sustainability Awards 2024-25 on 17th Feb. 2025, Yogesh Kansal, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Textiles, stated that as Bharat Tex 2025 concludes, and following the Prime Minister's inspiring presence and support, it's fitting to honor those who have contributed so significantly to the sector's success.
This awards ceremony recognizes the diverse contributions of individuals, MSMEs, and organizations across a wide range of categories, with sustainability rightfully taking center stage.
This year's theme, "Innovation Meets Responsibility," highlights our duty not only to the planet but also to future generations. It emphasizes respecting our heritage and the elements that sustain us, recognizing the crucial importance of sustainability. Honoring sustainability leaders will encourage wider adoption of responsible practices within the industry.
While sustainability presents challenges, particularly for the 80% of textile units that are MSMEs facing financing, capacity, compliance, and cost hurdles, it also offers immense opportunities.
While other nations may excel in specific areas like innovation, technology, scale, or machinery, the title of "most sustainable producer" remains unclaimed. India, with its strengths across the value chain, heritage of sustainability, and substantial domestic market, is a strong contender.
The key message of Bharat Tex is that India must recognize its potential to become a leading manufacturer—one that not only achieves scale and cost advantages but also embraces diversity, producing both large and small lots sustainably. India's time is now. The Prime Minister's confidence in the industry achieving its 2030 target serves as a powerful call to action.
Finally, addressing the inherent tensions within the fragmented textile value chain, we must strive for a symbiotic environment of "collaborate to compete."
Competition drives progress, but collaboration is essential for learning, growth, and market expansion. Organizations like CITI play a vital role in uniting the diverse elements of the value chain. I commend CITI's efforts in this area and urge them to continue fostering a truly collaborative ecosystem.