PM targets threefold jump in textile exports to ₹9 trillion by 2030

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has targeted a threefold increase in Indian textile exports to above $100 million (₹9 trillion) by the end of the decade from the current $34.57 million (₹3 trillion).

Modi was speaking at the second edition of Bharat Tex, a textile event showcasing India’s textile industry in which more than 120 countries are participating, at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Sunday.

Urging the banking sector to support textile entrepreneurs to drive employment and growth, Modi underscored India’s diverse textile heritage—ranging from chikankari in Lucknow to pashmina in Jammu and Kashmir—and said events like Bharat Tex help showcase such traditional art forms.

He recalled introducing five focus areas for the industry last year (farm, fiber, fabric, fashion, and foreign) and noted a 7% increase in exports, placing India as the sixth-largest exporter of textiles and apparel globally.

The sector, which employs millions and contributes 11% to India’s manufacturing output, is also benefiting from policy initiatives such as the Mission for Cotton Productivity, enhanced MSME classification, and expanded credit availability, he added.

Skill development remains a priority, with the Samarth scheme and National Centers of Excellence working to build a trained textile workforce.

Modi highlighted ongoing efforts to support handloom artisans and promote khadi—from “khadi for nation” to “khadi for fashion”—and lauded eco-friendly innovations.

The prime minister also warned of “fast fashion waste,” which could reach 148 million tons by 2030, and urged the industry to embrace recycling and upcycling.

He announced that the textile ministry has signed a deal with the Standing Conference of Public Enterprises and e-Marketplace to promote up-cycling, with many up-cyclers already registered.

Pilot projects for door-to-door collection of textile waste are being conducted in cities like Navi Mumbai and Bangalore, he said, while projecting that India’s textile recycling market could reach $400 million in the next few years, with the global recycled textile market estimated to reach $7.5 billion.

India’s traditional skills, combined with technological advancements, can secure a greater share in the $7.5 billion global recycled textile market, with domestic potential estimated at $400 million, he added.