Technical textiles

Technical textiles

Part of: Prelims and GS III – Economy

Context Recently, Union Minister of Textiles has emphasised that the annual growth rate of the technical textiles sector in the country should be in the 15%-20% range in the next five years, from the current 8%.

• India must target a five times’ increase in export of technical textiles in three years.

About Technical Textiles 

• Technical textiles are functional fabrics that have applications in industries such as automobiles, civil engineering and construction.
  • The world market for technical textiles is $250 billion and India’s share is $19 billion.
  • The biggest players are the U.S., West European countries, China and Japan.
• India is the 6th largest producer of Technical Textiles with 6% Global Share, largest producer of cotton & jute in the world.

Do You Know?

• Textiles Sector contributes 2.3% to Indian GDP, 7% of Industrial Output, 12% to the export earnings of India and employs more than 21% of total employment.
• India is also the second largest producer of silk in the world and 95% of the world’s hand woven fabric comes from India.

Initiatives by India in the textile sector

• In January 2019, the government issued 207 HSN Codes for technical textiles and in less than two years, India had become a net exporter of technical textiles.
  • HSN code stands for “Harmonized System of Nomenclature”. 
  • This system has been introduced for the systematic classification of goods all over the world. 
  • HSN code is a 6-digit uniform code that classifies 5000+ products and is accepted worldwide.
• As many as 92 technical textile items have been made mandatory for use by government organisations covering agriculture, horticulture, highways, railways, water resources, and medical applications.
• Amended Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (ATUFS): For technology upgradation of the textiles industry (2015)
• Scheme for Integrated Textile Parks (SITP): To assist small and medium entrepreneurs in the textile industry to clusterize investments in textile parks by providing financial support for world class infrastructure in the parks.
• SAMARTH (Scheme For Capacity Building In Textile Sector): To address the shortage of skilled workers. 
• North East Region Textile Promotion Scheme (NERTPS): This is a scheme for promoting textiles industry in the NER by providing infrastructure, capacity building and marketing support to all segments of the textile industry.
• Power-Tex India: It comprises new research and development in power loom textiles, new markets, branding, subsidies and welfare schemes for the workers.
• National Technical Textile Mission: It aims to position the country as a global leader in technical textiles and increase the use of technical textiles in the domestic market. It aims to take the domestic market size to USD 40 billion to USD 50 billion by 2024.