Secretary (Textiles), Government of India, Reviews Activities of Textile Institutions, Export Councils, and Research Associations in Mumbai

by Shrutee Kate 

Smt. Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary (Textiles), Government of India, and Chairperson, Textiles Committee, undertook a comprehensive two-day visit to Mumbai from November 13–14, 2025, to review the ongoing programmes, institutional performance, and policy implementation progress of various bodies functioning under the Ministry of Textiles. She was accompanied by Dr. M. Beena, Development Commissioner (Handlooms), during the review of activities related to handlooms and allied sectors.

Day 1: November 13, 2025 (Thursday)

Interacted with Ms Anshu Sinha, IAS, Principal Secretary (Textiles) Government of Maharashtra and other senior officers from Government of Maharashtra in Textiles Committee office and deliberated on bringing in synergy with both state and central implementation of central schemes in the state of Maharashtra and discussed the issues affecting the growth of the sector in the state.

The visit commenced with a detailed review meeting at the Textiles Committee, where the Secretary examined the activities of the organisation vis-à-vis the functions envisaged in the Textiles Committee Act, 1963 and advised to restructure and reorient its activities so as to meet the objectives of the Act and support the industry to meet the visions of the Ministry of Textiles. She emphasized the growing needs of the industry in scientific, technical & economic research and attributed the functions of the Textiles Committee to these and appreciated the effort of Textiles Committee for commitment for industrial Research and quality improvement in Textiles Value chain. Further she emphasized that TC should act like a link between the industry and government by providing inputs on the ground realities of the sector so as to help the industry to mitigate these with the help of policy interventions from the Ministry of Textiles. She visited the testing Laboratory of Textiles Committee and observed testing of banned Azo Dyes and appreciated the Textiles Committee infrastructure.

Following this, Smt. Rao visited the Synthetic & Art Silk Mills’ Research Association (SASMIRA). The review centered on SASMIRA’s ongoing R&D in technical textiles, manmade fibers, and green textile innovations. The Secretary appreciated SASMIRA’s contributions to training & education, promoting technical textile applications, industrial testing facilities, and capacity-building programs aimed at strengthening the synthetic sector’s competitiveness. She emphasized the need to align SASMIRA’s research activities with global sustainability and recycling objectives.

At the Weavers Service Centre (WSC), Office of the Development Commissioner (Handlooms), Smt. Rao and Dr. Beena reviewed the implementation of major schemes including the National Handloom Development Programme, Cluster Development Programme, and marketing interventions such as exhibitions, design innovation, and digital platforms for weavers. The Secretary highlighted the importance of technology integration, e-commerce enablement, and handloom mark promotion to expand the domestic and export reach of India’s handloom products.

Subsequently, the delegation visited the Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council (TEXPROCIL), where interactions were held with representatives from the cotton textile export sector. The discussions focused on export competitiveness, diversification of markets, Kasturi Cotton Bharat and the promotion of value-added cotton textile products. Smt. Rao appreciated TEXPROCIL’s proactive role in supporting exporters through trade fairs, buyer-seller meets, and international branding initiatives.

A similar review meeting was held at the Man-made Textiles Export Promotion Council (MATEXIL). The Secretary reviewed export performance trends, challenges faced by synthetic and blended textile exporters, and strategies to enhance global visibility for Indian man-made fibers. She encouraged the Council to adopt sustainability-driven export models and to leverage FTAs and trade pacts for greater market access.

In the evening, the Secretary held a comprehensive review meeting at the Office of the Textile

Commissioner, focusing on key flagship schemes of the Ministry such as the PM MITRA Parks Scheme, Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Textiles, and SAMARTH – Skill Development Scheme. The discussions revolved around the status of project implementation, outreach to industries, and measures to strengthen domestic textile manufacturing capacity.

Later, Smt. Rao chaired a meeting with major industry associations, engaging leading representatives from across the textile value chain to discuss policy feedback, sustainability initiatives, and investment promotion. She highlighted the government of India’s vision of achieving the target of US$ 100 Bn of exports and US$ 250 Bn of domestic market by 2030 and making india a developed nation by 2047 and the ways and means to achieve it. She invited the industry to take part in government of India’s initiatives to meet these goals and encouraged them to connect with its field organizations to mitigate the effects of the current geo-political tensions and protectionist measures of developed markets. The interactive session underlined the Ministry’s commitment to collaborative policymaking and industry-driven growth. The Textiles industry appreciated the efforts taken by Ministry of Textiles in improving the growth of Textiles industry through various policy and scheme interventions.

  Smt. Neelam Shami Rao commended the coordinated efforts of all government bodies, export councils, and research associations working under the Ministry of Textiles. She emphasized the Ministry’s commitment towards innovation, sustainability, circular economy practices, and global competitiveness in the textile value chain.

Smt. Rao urged institutions to enhance collaboration with industry associations, exporters, and state agencies to achieve the objectives of Make in India, Atmanirbhar Bharat, Vikasit Bharat and the emerging Sustainable Textiles Mission.

The visit reaffirmed the Government’s focus on synergizing research, policy, and industry engagement to ensure India’s textile sector continues to grow as a global leader in both traditional and technical textiles.