THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

NEW DELHI, JUNE 24, 2026

The two-day Textiles Summit 2026 concluded on Wednesday with a strong emphasis on sustainability, export competitiveness, market diversification and effective utilisation of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), as policymakers, industry leaders and academia outlined a comprehensive strategy to propel India’s textile exports to USD 100 billion by 2030.

Organised by the Ministry of Textiles from June 23 to 24, the summit served as a key platform for collaborative dialogue among State Governments, industry stakeholders and experts, focusing on the future growth trajectory of India’s textile sector and strengthening its position in global markets.

Concluding the summit, Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh stressed that the focus must now shift from planning to implementation. He called for proactive execution of district and state-level strategies, underscoring the importance of achieving the right product-market mix, increasing value addition, adhering to sustainability and environmental standards, leveraging FTAs and promoting niche products to enhance global competitiveness.

Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Neelam Shami Rao described the summit’s deliberations as a decisive step from dialogue to action. She said the recommendations emerging from States, districts, industry stakeholders and Export Promotion Councils would be translated into a comprehensive National Textile Export Roadmap. Highlighting the sector’s future priorities, she said India would focus on high-value segments, quality enhancement, innovation and sustainability, backed by stronger institutional coordination to boost exports and expand the country’s global textile trade footprint.

A special session of the summit featured Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal, who urged the textiles industry to swiftly capitalise on recently concluded FTAs to maximise export gains. He identified information asymmetry at the district level as a major challenge and stressed the need to equip exporters with better awareness and access to FTA-related opportunities. Agrawal also highlighted the Centre’s extensive export promotion initiatives and commended the publication of the booklet, “Leveraging Recent FTAs – A Textiles Perspective.” Noting that the Department of Commerce had conducted around 500 workshops on export promotion, he encouraged States and Union Territories to actively participate in the revived Districts as Export Hubs (DEH) programme.

The second day of the summit began with presentations by representatives of States and Union Territories, who shared key outcomes from the breakout sessions held on the opening day. The presentations highlighted strategic recommendations and actionable measures aimed at strengthening textile exports and aligning sectoral growth with the ambitious USD 100-billion export target.

Among the major discussions on the concluding day was a session on “Quality, Sustainability Certifications and Sourcing Decisions,” which explored ways to integrate global brand requirements into state-level cluster strategies. Participants deliberated on promoting digital product passports for traceability, advancing closed-loop recycling systems, strengthening textile waste management through collaboration between municipal bodies and states, and bridging the gap between academic research and commercially viable recycling technologies. The session also emphasised simplifying compliance requirements for MSMEs and aligning national policies with evolving international sustainability standards.

The summit concluded with a high-level session on “Export Enablement, FTA Utilisation and Market Diversification,” which outlined a broad roadmap for strengthening India’s textile export ecosystem. Speakers from government, industry and academia highlighted the need to leverage tariff advantages under FTAs while prioritising sustainability, quality standards and mutual recognition frameworks. Discussions focused on improving ease of doing business, diversifying export markets, attracting anchor investors and accelerating product diversification, particularly in man-made fibres (MMF).

The session also underscored the importance of developing in-house design capabilities, adapting to changing consumer preferences and nurturing globally competitive “Champion MSMEs.” Enhanced export finance, risk mitigation mechanisms and strategic market access initiatives were identified as critical drivers for boosting exports and promoting Brand India in international textile markets.