Market for technical textiles to grow to nearly $15 billion by 2012-13

The textile ministry expects the technical textiles sector in India to grow 11 per cent year-on-year to reach a market size of $14.8 billion by 2012-13, from the current size of $9.9 billion, minister for commerce, industry and textiles, Anand sharma said today.

Addressing the first international conference on technical textiles - Technotex 2011 - in Mumbai, Sharma, however, said while the growth projection remains optimistic, the industry must invest in research, innovation and marketing efforts to put India on the world map of technical textiles.

Towards this, he said, the ministry of textiles has launched the Technology Mission on Technical Textiles (TMTT). Two new missions aimed at standardisation of testing laboratories and boosting marketing strength will be announced shortly, he added.

He said the government will continue the Technology Upgradation Funds Scheme (TUFS) that provides plan support for textiles through interest reimbursement and capital subsidy, during the 12th Plan period as well.

Sharma said the textile sector remains core to the Indian economy and the government is committed to its all round development. The government has identified technical textiles as one of the thrust areas of textiles development, he added.

Technical textiles include textiles for automotive applications, medical textiles, geo-textiles, agro-textiles used for crop protection and protective clothing for fire fighters, bullet-proof jackets, space suits etc.

"Four more Centres of Excellence for non-woven textiles will be set up, in addition to the existing four, to give a boost to production of technical textiles. One of them relating to sports textiles will be based in Mumbai," the minister said, adding, these centres would be equipped with internationally accredited testing labs, training facilities for trainers and technicians from the industry, IT-enabled information centre and other requisite support to the technical textile entrepreneurs.

Technotex 2011 has been jointly organised by the ministry of textiles, department of chemicals and petrochemicals and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). The Indian Technical Textiles Association (ITTA) and various other industry associations are supporting the event. Maharashtra, Gujarat and Karnataka are the partner states. Key stakeholders from all the sub-sections of the technical textile industry are participating in Technotex 2011 to identify new business opportunities and work out a roadmap for conducive growth of the sector.