Date: 2025-09-25Category: Not ApplicableState: Union GovernmentCountry: India
Indian Textile Delegation Showcases India’s Strength in Technical Textiles at Manchester Roadshow; Sustainability & Circularity Drive Deeper India–UK Textile Trade
On September 25, 2025, a high-level Indian delegation, led by Ms. Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, participated in a Technical Textiles Roadshow in Manchester, United Kingdom. The delegation included senior officials from the Ministry of Textiles and representatives from the Man-Made Fibre, Technical Textiles, and other key textile segments, including TEXPROCIL.
Ms. Rao highlighted that technical textiles are among India's fastest-growing segments, driven by R&D, advanced manufacturing, and circular economy practices. She emphasized India's focus on sustainability, green manufacturing, and waste reduction under the National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM) scheme. She stated the India–UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) creates a win–win framework.
The delegation visited the Manchester Fashion Institute and the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre.
India's Technical Textiles Export Snapshot (FY 2024–25):
* Global exports: USD 2.92 billion
* Major categories: Packtech (37.5%), Indutech (28%)
* Exports to UK: USD 136 million (4.7% share)
The visit aims to facilitate trade, joint ventures, investment, and technology partnerships between India and the UK. Flagship schemes such as PM MITRA mega textile parks, the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme and the NTTM are creating world-class infrastructure. India is advancing its vision to double textile exports by 2030.
Key Entities Referenced
India–UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA): A trade agreement aiming to secure sustainable technology partnerships, enhance market access, reduce tariffs, and increase investor confidence between India and the UK.
National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM): A scheme by the Indian government focused on promoting sustainability, green manufacturing, and waste reduction in the technical textiles sector.
Ministry of Textiles: The Indian ministry responsible for the development and regulation of the textile industry, including technical textiles.
Manchester, United Kingdom: The location of the Technical Textiles Roadshow and site of innovation hubs visited by the Indian delegation.
Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme: A scheme creating world-class infrastructure and an enabling business environment for textile production.
Ministry of Textiles
Indian Textile Delegation Showcases India’s
Strength in Technical Textiles at Manchester
Roadshow; Sustainability & Circularity Drive Deeper
India–UK Textile Trade
Posted On: 25 SEP 2025 8:27PM by PIB Delhi
A high-level Indian delegation led by Ms. Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Government of
India, showcased India’s expanding strength in the technical textiles sector at a dedicated Technical Textiles
Roadshow in Manchester, United Kingdom. The delegation comprised senior officials from the Ministry of
Textiles and representatives from the Man-Made Fibre, Technical Textiles and other key textile segments,
including TEXPROCIL, underlining India’s robust capabilities and commitment to innovation-driven and
sustainable growth.
Secretary’s Address — Innovation, Sustainability & CETA
In her keynote, Ms. Neelam Shami Rao stressed that technical textiles are among India’s fastest-growing
segments, driven by R&D, advanced manufacturing and circular economy practices. She highlighted India’s
focus on sustainability, green manufacturing and waste reduction under the National Technical Textiles
Mission (NTTM) scheme to strengthen long-term competitiveness.
She noted that the India–UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) creates a win–win
framework — offering secure, sustainable sourcing and technology partnerships for the UK, and enhanced
market access, tariff reduction, mutual recognition of standards and investor confidence for India. Ms. Rao
encouraged UK retailers and industrial users to partner with India’s cost-competitive, innovation-led
ecosystem to build resilient and sustainable supply chains.Strategic Engagements
The delegation also visited leading innovation hubs including the Manchester Fashion Institute at Manchester
Metropolitan University and the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre, Manchester, to explore
partnerships in advanced materials, sustainable technical textiles and circular fashion models.
India’s Technical Textiles Export Snapshot (FY 2024–25)
Global exports: USD 2.92 billion
(cid:108)
Major categories: Packtech (37.5%), Indutech (28%)
(cid:108)
Exports to UK: USD 136 million (4.7% share)
(cid:108)
Way Forward
The visit is expected to facilitate greater trade opportunities, joint ventures, investment and technology
partnerships between India and the UK. Flagship schemes such as PM MITRA mega textile parks, the
Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme and the NTTM are creating world-class infrastructure and an
enabling business environment. Combined with the market access benefits of CETA, India is advancing its
vision to double textile exports by 2030, while supporting a mutually beneficial, sustainable and future-ready
India–UK textile trade partnership.
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MAM/AK/SMP(Release ID: 2171451)