New Delhi, July 22 (IANS) India’s total exports of cotton textiles, including cotton yarn, cotton fabrics, made-ups, other textile yarn, fabric made-ups and raw cotton, crossed $35.642 billion during the last three years, Union Minister of Textiles Giriraj Singh informed Parliament on Tuesday.

The minister also stated that to enhance cotton productivity and quality, promote innovation and strengthen the entire textile value chain in line with the Vision 2030, a five-year ‘Mission for Cotton Productivity’ was announced by the Finance Minister in the Budget for 2025-26.

The Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) is the nodal department for implementing the Mission, with the Ministry of Textiles as a partner. The Mission aims to boost cotton production through strategic interventions, including research and extension activities across all cotton-growing states.

The Mission also proposes to focus on developing climate-smart, pest-resistant, and high-yielding cotton varieties, including Extra Long Staple (ELS) cotton, using advanced breeding and biotechnology tools.

A special project on ‘Targeting technologies to agro-ecological zones-large scale demonstration of best practices to enhance cotton productivity’ has been implemented by ICAR- Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR), Nagpur, in eight major cotton-growing states. The total outlay of the Special Project is Rs 6,032.35 lakhs, the minister further stated.

The ‘Mission for Cotton Productivity’ aims to equip farmers with cutting-edge scientific and technological support, enabling higher productivity, superior fibre quality, and improved resilience against climatic and pest-related challenges. Aligned with the Government’s integrated 5F vision, Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign, the Mission is expected to boost cotton farmers’ incomes, ensure a steady supply of high-quality cotton, and revitalise India’s traditional textile sector, thereby enhancing its global competitiveness, he added.

As part of the steps to boost textile exports, the Ministry has also supported Export Promotion Councils in organizing a global mega textile event Bharat TEX 2025 to showcase the strength of the Indian textiles value chain, highlighting the latest progress innovations in textile & fashion Industry and positioning India as the most preferred destination for sourcing and investment in textile sector, the minister said in reply to another question in the Lok Sabha.

NIFT (National Institute of Fashion Technology) has also established formal collaborations with over 22 institutions across more than 14 countries, including the UK, France, Australia, Japan, the United States, New Zealand and Finland. These collaborations are governed through MoUs that support student and faculty exchanges, joint research initiatives, dual-degree and twinning programs, collaborative curriculum development, and global academic immersion, the minister said.

Notable engagements include partnerships with institutions such as FIT (New York), UAL (UK), ENSAIT (France), and Bunka (Japan). Over the past five years, approximately 100-plus NIFT students and many faculty members have participated in international exchange programmes, with reciprocal participation from global partner institutions, he further stated.

“These international engagements enhance India’s position in the global textile and fashion sector by fostering academic excellence, promoting innovation, and enabling knowledge transfer. They expose students and faculty to global design sensibilities, technological advancements, and emerging trends. By aligning curricula with international standards, these collaborations equip Indian graduates with the skills and insights needed to compete effectively in global markets and strengthen India’s reputation as a hub for creative and technical expertise in textiles and fashion,” the minister explained.

–IANS

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