As covered by Salil,Chawla, Director DFU Publications in the capacity of  delegate today "National Conference on Technical Textiles" organised by PHDCCI. Excerpts from H'ble Pabitra Margherita l Union Minister of State for External Affairs; and Textiles address: 

Address at the National Conference on Technical Textiles

A very good morning to everyone.

It is indeed an honour and a privilege for me to address this National Conference on Technical Textiles, which brings together stakeholders who will shape the next chapter of India’s textile journey.

I would also like to commend the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry for its remarkable contribution over the last 120-plus years as a dynamic voice of Indian industry, trade, and entrepreneurship, and for consistently organising meaningful dialogues on issues of national importance.

I vividly remember that immediately after assuming office as Minister of State for Textiles, one of the very first industry events I attended was organised by the PHD Chamber. Since then, the Chamber has remained very close to my heart. Even today, I have come here directly from Parliament because I did not want to miss this important gathering.

Friends,

Across the world, there is a growing emphasis on health, wellness, and active lifestyles. This transformation is being driven by changing social attitudes, increasing awareness about fitness, and a stronger focus on preventive healthcare.

In India, this momentum has been further strengthened through flagship initiatives such as Khelo India, the Fit India Movement, and the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS). These programmes have encouraged wider participation in sports and fitness activities across all sections of society.

As more people participate in recreational and competitive sports, and as sports infrastructure continues to expand, the demand for high-performance sports products is rising steadily. This evolving landscape is creating exciting opportunities for manufacturing, innovation, and technology.

It is in this context that Sportech, one of the fastest-growing segments of technical textiles, assumes tremendous importance.

Today’s high-performance fabrics are engineered to provide moisture management, rapid drying, UV protection, compression, breathability, and enhanced comfort. Increasingly, these textiles are also becoming intelligent through the integration of sensors, conductive yarns, and microelectronics capable of monitoring heart rate, hydration levels, muscle activity, posture, and overall physical performance in real time.

Friends,

Technical textiles have emerged as a strategic pillar of modern industrial growth. They support critical sectors including healthcare, defence, agriculture, infrastructure, safety, mobility, and sports. Across all twelve major segments of technical textiles, they have evolved from niche applications into essential national capabilities.

India’s position in this sector is steadily strengthening.

Technical textile exports reached approximately ₹28,392 crore during FY 2024–25, reflecting a significant increase over previous years. Between FY 2021 and FY 2024–25, exports registered a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 13.4%, while the country’s trade surplus in technical textiles improved to approximately ₹5,527 crore, demonstrating India’s increasing competitiveness in the global technical textile market.

Our capabilities were tested under the most challenging circumstances during the COVID-19 pandemic.

From virtually no domestic PPE kit production in early 2020, India scaled up manufacturing to nearly five lakh PPE kits per day within just 60 days, emerging as the world’s second-largest manufacturer. During those difficult times, India not only protected its own citizens but also supported many countries through timely supplies of critical protective equipment.

This remarkable achievement demonstrated the resilience, innovation, and manufacturing strength of India’s technical textile industry.

Friends,

This progress has been made possible under the visionary leadership of our Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi ji, and through the contributions of all stakeholders present here today.

Under his leadership, India has moved from isolated interventions to an ecosystem-driven approach. Today, technical textiles stand at the intersection of innovation, manufacturing, self-reliance, and global competitiveness.

I would also like to acknowledge the leadership of the Hon’ble Union Minister of Textiles, Shri Giriraj Singh ji, whose commitment and implementation-focused approach are accelerating this transformation.

Friends,

The Government of India has undertaken several focused initiatives to strengthen the technical textiles ecosystem.

The National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM), launched with an outlay of ₹1,480 crore, has approved more than 180 research projects, supported nearly 50 projects for laboratory upgradation and faculty development, facilitated the development of over 20 specialised academic courses, supported around 40 national and international events, and nurtured more than 30 startups.

I am delighted to see many of these innovative startups participating in today’s exhibition.

Together, these initiatives are creating a strong foundation for research, innovation, entrepreneurship, and industry-academia collaboration.

The Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Textiles, with an outlay of ₹10,683 crore, has further strengthened manufacturing capabilities in this segment.

Technical textiles have emerged as one of the major investment destinations under the scheme, attracting more than 50 companies, generating investments exceeding ₹5,500 crore, and creating production turnover of over ₹6,400 crore.

With these strong foundations, India is well positioned to realise the vision of US$100 billion in textile exports and a US$350 billion domestic textile market by 2030, as envisioned by our Hon’ble Prime Minister.

These goals are fully aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, where technical textiles and Sportech will play a defining role in driving innovation, advanced manufacturing, sustainability, and global competitiveness.

As I conclude, I am confident that the deliberations of this conference will lead to meaningful partnerships, actionable recommendations, and new opportunities for industry, academia, research institutions, and government to work together.

Let us collectively build an India that is not only recognised for its rich textile heritage but is equally respected as a global leader in technical textiles, Sportech, advanced manufacturing, and innovation.