Overview of Indian Textile Industries.

Textile is one of the basic necessities of life and Textile Industries also plays a pivotal role through its contribution to industrial output, employment generation, and the export earnings of the country. The Textiles industry is the second largest manufacturer and exporter in the world, after China.

India has a share of 5 % of the global trade in textiles and apparel. The Textile Industry’s uniqueness lies in its strength both in the hand-woven sector as well as in the capital-intensive mill sector.

The mill sector is the second largest in the world. Traditional sectors like handloom, handicrafts and small-scale power-loom units are the biggest source of employment for millions of people in rural and semi-urban areas and contribute to more than 75% of total textile production in the country.

The Textile Industries applications across various industries including automobiles, civil engineering, construction, agriculture, healthcare, industrial safety, personal protection, etc. The estimated market size of technical textiles by 2020-21 in India is Rs.2,00,000 crore.

Type of Textile Industries in India.

1. Powerloom Sector
2. Handloom Sector
3. Handicrafts Sector

1. Powerloom Sector:
   • The power loom sector is one of the most important segments of the Textile Industries in terms of fabric production and employment generation.
   • More than 60% of fabric meant for export is also sourced from the Powerloom sector. The readymade garments and home textile sectors are heavily dependent on the Powerloom sector to meet their fabric requirement.
2. Handloom weaving :
   • It is one of the largest economic activities after agriculture providing direct and indirect employment to 35.23 lakh weavers and allied workers.
   • This sector contributes nearly 15% of the cloth production in the country and also contributes to the export earnings of the country. 95% of the world’s hand-woven fabric comes from India.
3. Handicrafts Sector :
   • It plays a significant & important role in the country’s economy. It provides employment to a vast segment of craft persons in rural & semi-urban areas and generates substantial foreign exchange for the country while preserving its cultural heritage.

Textile Research Associations

Research & Development in the advancement of technology and processes in the textile and apparel sector, the Ministry has been actively supporting Textile Research Associations which cover the entire gamut of the sector. There are eight TRAs engaged in the work of research and development:

• Ahmadabad Textile Industry’s Research Association (ATIRA)
• Bombay Textile Research Association (BTRA)
• South India Textile Research Association (SITRA)
• Northern India Textile Research Association (NITRA)
• Man-Made Textile Research Association (MANTRA)
• Synthetic and Art Silk Mills Research Association (SASMIRA)
• Indian Jute Industries Research Association (IJIRA)
• Wool Research Association (WRA)

RAW MATERIAL for Textile Sector:

Cotton sector

Cotton is one of the principal crops of the country and is the major raw material for domestic textile industries. Cotton plays a major role in sustaining the livelihood of an estimated 5.8 million cotton farmers and 40- 50 million people engaged in related activities such as cotton processing and trade.

In the raw material consumption basket of the Indian textile industry, the proportion of cotton is around 60%. India occupies the first position in the world in cotton acreage with around 125.84 lakh hectares under cotton cultivation which is around 36% of the world area. India has emerged as one of the largest producers, consumers, and exporters of cotton in the World.

In the cotton sector Minimum Support Price (MSP) for two basic staples groups, medium staple and long-staple cotton and Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) a Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Textiles, is the nodal agency of the Government of India for undertaking MSP operations in the event of prevailing seed cotton price touching the MSP level.

Jute Sector

The Jute industry is one of the major industries in the eastern region, particularly in West Bengal Government of India provides support to the jute growers not only through MSP operations by the Jute Corporation of India but also through direct purchase of jute. A software platform “JUTE-SMART” (Jute Sacking Supply Management and Requisition Tool) has been implemented for procurement of jute.

Silk Sector

Silk is an insect fiber, with luster, drape, and strength. Because of these unique features, silk is known as the “Queen of Textiles”, the world over. India has been the land of ancient civilization and has contributed many things to the world, silk being one of them.

India is the second-largest producer of silk in the world and also the largest consumer. Nevertheless, India is the only country, which is producing all the five commercial varieties of silk, namely Mulberry, Tropical Tasar, Oak Tasar, Muga, and Eri.

Indian sericulture industry has the unique distinction of high employment potential, low capital requirement, and provides remunerative income to silk growers.

Wool sector

Holistic growth of the wool sector, Ministry of Textiles, formulated a new integrated program i.e. Integrated Wool Development Program, ( IWDP). Focus has been made in certification, labelling, branding of pashmina wool and utilization of deccani wool in industrial products through research and development activity.

Indian Government Initiative for Textile Industries:

• The schemes are classified into
  1. Amended Technology Fund Upgradation Scheme (ATUFS): one time capital subsidy for eligible benchmarked machinery. Segments which have got higher employment and export potential
  2. the Powerloom Sector Development Schemes (PSDS)
     • Solar Energy Scheme: The prime objective of the scheme is to alleviate the problem of power cut / shortage, being faced by the decentralized powerloom units in the country to improve utilization, efficiency, productivity etc. and to face both domestic and international markets competitively by providing financial assistance/capital subsidy to small powerloom units for installation of Solar Photo Voltaic (SPV) plant.
  3. Pradhan Mantri Credit Scheme for Powerloom Weavers: Govt. of India provides adequate and timely financial assistance to the powerloom weavers to meet their credit requirements, for investment needs as well as for working capital, in a flexible and cost effective manner
  4. Group Workshed Scheme: The scheme aims at setting up of infrastructure for Powerlooms with modern weaving machinery to enhance their competitiveness in the Global Market
  5. Common Facility Centre Scheme: To provide infrastructure support that includes house design center/studio, testing facilities, training center, information cum trade center and common raw material/yarn/sales depot, water treatment plant for industrial use, and common pre-weaving facilities
  6. Yarn bank Scheme,
  7. Upgradation Scheme for plain Powerlooms.
  8. Scheme for Integrated Textiles Park (SITP): It project cost covers common infrastructure and buildings for production/support depending on the needs of the ITP with the total financial support of 40% of the project cost subject to a maximum of Rs.40 crore.
  9. Scheme for Additional Grant for Apparel Manufacturing Units under SITP (SAGAM): Under the scheme, providing an additional grant of ₹.10 crore to Integrated Textile Parks under SITP to set up new /additional apparel units in the park. in order to boost the Apparel Manufacturing Industry and generate additional employment, particularly for women
  10. Integrated Processing Development Scheme (IPDS): The objective of the Scheme is to enable the textile processing sector in meeting environmental standards through appropriate technology including marine, riverine, and Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD).
  11. Scheme for Incubation in Apparel Manufacturing (SIAM): The objective of the Scheme is to promote new entrepreneurs in apparel manufacturing by providing them with an integrated workspace with a complete ecosystem and plug and play facility which helps them in reducing the time, cost, and efforts involved in setting up a new incubation center.
  12. Scheme for Textile Industry Workers’ Accommodation (STIWA): The objective of the Scheme is to provide safe, adequate, and conveniently located accommodation for textile Industries and apparel industry workers in the proximity of areas of high concentration of textile and apparel industries
  13. The Comprehensive Handloom Cluster Development Scheme(CHCDS): It is implemented for the development of Mega Handloom Clusters in geographical locations covering at least 15000 handlooms with the government of India.
  14. North East Region Textile Promotion Scheme (NERTPS): To develop textiles industries in the North East region of the country. NERTPS is an umbrella scheme with a project-based approach having the necessary flexibility in design and implementation to cater to the specific need of the NE States.
  15. Scheme for Production and Employment Linked Support for Garmenting Units (SPELSGU): It is under ATUFS to incentivize production and employment generation in the garment sector. The additional incentive of 10% will be provided to the garments units which would be availing the 15% Capital Investment Subsidy(CIS) under ATUFS for the installation of benchmarked eligible machinery after a period of three years.

Textile Industries Export

The Indian textile industry is the second largest manufacturer and exporter in the world, after China. The Textile industries is of vital importance to the Indian economy. The share of textile and apparel (T&A) including handicrafts in India’s total exports stands at a significant 11% in 2020.

India’s textiles industries products, including handlooms and handicrafts, are exported to more than a hundred countries. However, the USA and the EU, account for approximately 43% of India’s textiles and apparel exports. The other major export destinations are China, U.A.E., Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan, Vietnam, etc.

• Details of Export Promotion Councils under the Ministry of Textiles are as follows:
  1. Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC)
  2. Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council (TEXPROCIL)
  3. Synthetic & Rayon Textiles Export Promotion Council (SRTEPC)
  4. Wool & Woolen Export Promotion Council (W&WEPC)
  5. Wool Industry Export Promotion Organization (WOOLTEXPRO)
  6. Indian Silk Export Promotion Council (ISEPC)
  7. Carpet Export Promotion Council (CEPC)
  8. Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH)
  9. Power loom Development & Export Promotion Council (PDEXCIL)
  10. Handloom Export Promotion Council (HEPC)
  11. Jute Product Development Export Promotion Council (JPDEPC)

• Here we can also view the top 10 textile companies in India
• Reference: Ministry of Textile.