Weaving India's Textile Future: Policy, Progress, and Pop Culture

In the ever-evolving tapestry of India's economy, the textile sector stands out as a vibrant thread connecting tradition with modernity, and agriculture with global trade. As we step into 2026, the Central government's ambitious policies are reshaping this industry, promising innovation, thousands of entrepreneurs, millions of jobs, and export dominance. Let's unravel this story.


Minister Giriraj Singh's Vision for a Transformed Textile Sector

In his article titled "India’s new global positioning in textiles", published in The Financial Express on December 12, 2025, Minister Singh paints a comprehensive picture of the sector's evolution under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership over the past 11 years. He describes textiles not merely as a manufacturing hub but as a lifeline for millions—from cotton farmers in rural fields to urban entrepreneurs and weavers. 

Key reforms highlighted include a staggering 173% surge in cotton procurement by government agencies, rising from 17.3 million bales (2004-2014) to 47.3 million bales (2014-2024), shielding farmers from market volatility. The Minimum Support Price (MSP) for cotton has doubled to ₹7,710 per quintal for 2025-26, ensuring income stability. Minister Singh also spotlights the ₹2,500 crore Mission for Cotton Productivity, extended to December 31, 2025, which focuses on superior seeds, scientific farming, and quality enhancements to align with global standards. Diversification into innovative fibers like flax, ramie, sisal, and milkweed is encouraged to generate employment and fortify the value chain. 

On the industry side, removing import duties on cotton has cut costs for mills, boosting competitiveness for SMEs, handlooms, and powerlooms. Lifting Quality Control Orders on inputs like monoethylene glycol (MEG) and viscose supports the man-made fiber (MMF) segment, which employs 1.4 crore people and aims to add another crore by 2030.

The Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme has drawn substantial investments, with 27 new applications by December 31, 2025, and 42 of 74 approved companies focusing on technical textiles—where exports grew 12.4% to $3.2-3.4 billion. Top companies have invested ₹4,584 crore, surpassing commitments, positioning India as a net exporter in hygiene products like baby diapers and sanitary napkins. 

GST reforms, reducing rates to 5% on apparel up to ₹2,500, enhance affordability and demand. Labour reforms, including in the textile sector, ensure fair wages and welfare. Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), targeting 40 new foreign markets, seek to compound textile exports (eg, there was a $15 million jump in textile export to the the UK). 


Aligning with the Prime Minister's 5F Vision

This ministerial blueprint seamlessly aligns with Prime Minister Modi's overarching 5F formula—Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign—a holistic strategy to integrate the textile value-chain for self-reliance and global prowess. 

Farm: Focuses on strengthening the agricultural base, particularly cotton and other natural fibers. Initiatives include boosting productivity through better seeds, scientific farming, and support for farmers via Minimum Support Prices (MSP) and procurement. The Mission for Cotton Productivity, with a ₹2,500 crore allocation, targets improvements in yield, quality, and sustainability to meet international standards. Diversification into new-age fibers like flax, ramie, and sisal is also promoted to create jobs and reduce dependency on traditional crops.

Fibre: Involves processing raw materials into yarns and fibers, including man-made fibers (MMF). Reforms include removing import duties on cotton to lower costs for mills and lifting quality controls on inputs like monoethylene glycol (MEG) and viscose, benefiting the MMF value chain which employs over 1.4 crore people. The goal is to add 1 crore more jobs by 2030 in this segment.

Factory: Centers on manufacturing and infrastructure development. The flagship PM MITRA (Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel) Parks scheme, inspired directly by the 5F vision, establishes seven large-scale parks (one each in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat) with a total investment of ₹4,445 crore initially, now attracting over ₹27,000 crore in MoUs. These 1,000+ acre parks provide plug-and-play facilities, reducing logistics costs and fragmentation, and are projected to create 21 lakh jobs (1 lakh direct and 2 lakh indirect per park). The Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, with ₹10,683 crore allocated, incentivizes MMF apparel, fabrics, and technical textiles, attracting ₹20,000+ crore in investments from 85 companies.

Fashion: Promotes design, branding, and value addition. This includes GI tagging for handloom products (e.g., Uppada Jamdani Sarees, Kashmiri Pashmina) and schemes like SAMARTH for skill-building in organized sectors. Events like Bharat Tex Expo showcase innovations and connect stakeholders, emphasizing sustainable and tech-led fashion.

Foreign: Targets exports and global integration. Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with 27 countries aim to access 40 new markets, with notable growth in exports to the UK (up $15 million) and Argentina (73% increase). The initiative supports foreign investments, such as from Finland's Infinited Fiber Company (₹4,000 crore) and South Korea's Hyosung (₹1,850 crore), while pushing for a $65 billion export target by FY26. Technical textiles exports grew 12.4% to $3.2-3.4 billion, with India aiming to become a net exporter in products like sanitary pads.


Progress on the Centre's Textile Vision: Insights from Ministry Officials

Building on this foundation, recent updates from textile ministry officials underscore tangible progress. In a BusinessLine report dated January 13, 2026, a senior official highlighted how schemes like PM MITRA and PLI have fueled momentum. PM MITRA alone has secured ₹14,000 crore in commitments, potentially creating 38,426 jobs, with additional ₹10,000 crore interest from giants like Vardhman and Trident. The revamped PLI has drawn 85 applications, promising ₹20,000+ crore investments.

FDI inflows include Finland's Infinited Fiber Company's ₹4,000 crore MoU, Singapore's RGE's ₹4,953 crore project, and South Korea's Hyosung's ₹1,850 crore facility. Sustainability is a priority, with initiatives like Filatex India's ₹300 crore chemical recycling plant for polyester. Officials project continued focus on recycling, biomass energy, and decarbonization in 2026, aligning with the 5F mission to make India a $250 billion textile production hub by 2030. 

These advancements reflect bureaucratic efficiency in translating political vision into on-ground reality.


Mega Conclaves: Actualizing Visions and Investments

Mega events like Bharat Tex 2025 serve as the loom where these threads converge, actualizing the visions of political leaders, the missions of bureaucrats, and the investments by textile value-chain companies. Held from February 14-17, 2025, at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, this global expo spanned 2.2 million square feet, featuring 5,000 exhibitors and attracting 6,000 international buyers from 120+ countries. Prime Minister Modi's address on February 16 emphasized cultural heritage and export potential, while Minister Singh inaugurated artisan showcases like Indie Haat.

Over 70 sessions delved into sustainability, AI, and global chains, fostering B2B partnerships and reinforcing schemes like PM MITRA and PLI. By uniting stakeholders, Bharat Tex not only celebrates India's textile prowess but accelerates investments, innovation, and exports, embodying the collaborative spirit needed to transform vision into reality.


The Glamorous Twist: Infotainment and Entrepreneurship

Finally, infotainment shows like Pitch to Get Rich add a quirky and glamorous layer to this chain, promoting textile-based fashion entrepreneurship with Bollywood flair. Streaming on JioHotstar since October 2025, this reality series features 14 fashion startups — pitching to a panel consisting of Karan Johar, Akshay Kumar, Manish Malhotra, and Malaika Arora — vying for funding from a ₹40 crore investment pool. By blending drama, glamour, mentorship, and real funding, it spotlights "Make in India" innovation, making the textile journey from farm to foreign not just a policy narrative, but a captivating story for the masses.


Navigating Trump's Tariffs 

Amid these advancements, external pressures like the US tariffs imposed in 2025 have posed significant hurdles to India's textile export ambitions. Donald Trump has spiked an additional 25% tariffs on Indian exports to the US, taking the overall tariffs to 50% on key exports — ostensibly, for buying Russian crude oil. This has led to a noticeable dip in outbound textile shipments, including a 5-6% decline in textile exports to the US in September 2025, threatening lakhs of textile industry jobs. 

However, the blow is being softened by surging domestic consumption, driven by urbanization and an expanding middle class; alongwith proactive measures from the Commerce Ministry's export support incentives and rebate programs. Furthermore, newly inked trade pacts with the UK, New Zealand, and Oman—coupled with an impending agreement with the EU—are diversifying market access and bolstering resilience against such disruptions.


Conclusion

As India threads ahead, this integrated approach—from ministerial initiatives to corporate investments to pop culture pitches—promises a resilient, sustainable textile sector ready to create tens of thousands of entrepreneurs and tens of millions of jobs—and to clothe India and the world.

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