The Ministry of Textiles recently approved 23 strategic research projects worth around Rs. 60 Crores under the National Technical Textiles Mission. These projects focus on Specialty fibres, Sustainable Textiles, Geotextiles, Mobiltech and Sports textiles. The mission aims to position India as a global leader in technical textiles.
Understanding Technical Textiles
Technical textiles refer to functional fabrics with applications across multiple industries such as automobiles, civil engineering and construction, agriculture, healthcare, industrial safety and personal protection. These product’s demand is derived from the country’s development and industrialization. Twelve technical textile segments exist based on usage, including Agrotech, Meditech, Buildtech, Mobiltech, Clothtech, Oekotech, Geotech, Packtech, Hometech, Protech, Indutech and Sportech.
The National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM) Explained
Approved in 2020 by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), with a total outlay of Rs.1480 Crore, the National Technical Textiles Mission is designed to enlarge India’s domestic market size from USD 40 billion to USD 50 billion by 2024. It also supports the ‘Make in India’ initiative, promoting domestic manufacturing of related machinery and equipment.
Main Components of the NTTM
The first component focuses on research, development and innovation with an outlay of Rs. 1,000 crores, while the second component aims for the promotion and development of the market for technical textiles. The third component is centered on export promotion, intending to ensure 10% average growth annually until the mission ends. The fourth component is aimed at education, training, and skill development.
Technical Textiles Progress in India
The growth of technical textiles in India has gained momentum, and the sector aims to increase this growth rate to 15-20% per annum by 2024. The Indian Technical Textiles segment is currently estimated at USD 16 Billion, approximately 6% of the global technical textiles market. The mission itself will be implemented via a three-tier institutional mechanism.
Further Initiatives Related to Technical Textile
The Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for the Textiles Sector intends to encourage the production of high-value Man-Made Fiber (MMF) fabrics, garments, and technical textiles. Another initiative is the Harmonized System of Nomenclature (HSN) Codes for Technical Textile. Technotex India, a flagship event, is organized by the Ministry of Textiles, in collaboration with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), aiming to gather stakeholders from across the global technical textile value chain.
Additional Efforts to Promote Technical Textile
Government initiatives also include allowing 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) under the automatic route, inviting international technical textile manufacturers such as Ahlstrom, Johnson & Johnson to initiate operations in India. The government has also introduced the Amended Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme, aiming to improve exports and indirectly promote investments in textile machinery.
