Piyush Goyal, the Union Minister of Textiles, Commerce and Industry and Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, highlighted the importance of international benchmarking, industry consultations, and demand assessment in identifying high-value and high-volume potential products for the advancement of research and innovation in Technical Textiles in India.
This statement was made during the 6th Mission Steering Group (MSG) meeting of the National Technical Textiles Mission held in New Delhi on June 8. During the meeting, the Ministry of Textiles approved 20 research and development (R&D) projects worth INR 61.09 crores.
These projects spanned strategic areas such as Geotech, Protech, Indutech, Sustainable Textiles, Sportech, Buildtech, Specialty Fibres (including Carbon Fibre and Ultra High Molecular Weight Poly Ethylene). Among the approved projects, there were three projects in Geotech, six in Protech, one in Indutech, one in Sportech, two in Sustainable Textiles, two in Buildtech, two in Carbon Fibres, two in Specialty/Functional Fibre, and one in Ultra High Molecular Weight Poly Ethylene (UHMWPE).
Speaking at the meeting, Piyush Goyal emphasized the need to identify sectors such as automobile, aviation, infrastructure, and medical, where high-strength lightweight Technical Textiles can be utilized as alternative materials. He stressed that incorporating these textiles could enhance efficiency, advancement, and sustainability in these industries.
The minister highlighted the importance of conducting extensive outreach exercises to attract more R&D proposals in priority areas under the National Technical Textiles Mission. He suggested collaboration between the Ministry of Textiles, Ministry of Science and Technology, and Ministry of Commerce and Industry to achieve this goal.
Furthermore, Goyal encouraged reputable private engineering colleges to collaborate with Textile Research Associations (TRAs) or renowned government institutes. This collaboration would ensure wider awareness, maximize the benefits, and optimize the utilization of the National Technical Textiles Mission Scheme, ultimately fostering a robust research and innovation ecosystem across India.
During the meeting, the minister also reviewed the progress of Component-II of the National Technical Textiles Mission, which focuses on Promotion and Market Development. Notable events discussed included the 10th Edition of Technotex 2023 in Mumbai, organized by FICCI between February 22nd and 24th, 2023, the GEOTEX: National Conference on Geo-Textiles – PM-GATI Shakti Scheme held in Delhi with CII on March 24th, 2023, and the Technical Textiles: Exploring Growth Opportunities in Hometech and Clothtech under Chintan Shivir - ‘Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam’ in Rajkot on April 21st, 2023. Additionally, the National Conclave on Sportech: The Future of Sport Textiles and Accessories Industry in India, organized by ITTA, took place in Delhi on June 2nd, 2023.
Piyush Goyal discussed the meetings held with the Ministry of Railways and Ministry of Defence to enhance the usage of Technical Textiles. On April 10th, 2023, Quality Control Orders (QCOs) for 31 Technical Textiles, including 19 Geotextiles and 12 Protective Textiles, were issued.
