Prime Minister Inaugurates Bharat Tex 2024, Emphasizes Textile Sector’s Crucial Role in Viksit Bharat

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Bharat Tex 2024, a colossal global textile event, at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, marking a significant step towards boosting the country’s textile sector. The event, taking place in Bharat Mandapam and Yasho Bhoomi, features over 3000 exhibitors and traders from nearly 100 countries, along with around 40,000 visitors, making it one of the largest-ever global textile gatherings in India.

Addressing the audience, Prime Minister Modi highlighted the diverse dimensions covered by Bharat Tex, connecting India’s rich traditional history with contemporary talent, technology, and sustainability. He praised the event as a manifestation of “Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat,” encompassing a wide array of textile traditions from different parts of India.

Acknowledging the stakeholders in the textile value chain, the Prime Minister emphasized the government’s commitment to Viksit Bharat’s four pillars—poor, youth, farmers, and women. He outlined the government’s focus on tradition, technology, talent, and training, with a particular emphasis on updating traditional designs to meet modern demands.

Prime Minister Modi discussed the Five Fs strategy, which involves connecting various elements of the textile value chain, from farm to fiber, fiber to factory, factory to fashion, and fashion to foreign. He highlighted measures to support the MSME sector, including changes in the definition of MSME and initiatives like direct sales, exhibitions, and online portals.

The government’s plans to establish seven PM MITRA Parks in different states were also underscored, aiming to create a comprehensive ecosystem for the textile sector. The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of reducing logistics costs and improving the scale and operation of the textile industry.

Discussing the employment potential in the textile sector, Prime Minister Modi noted the significant participation of women and rural populations, especially in handloom and apparel making. He highlighted the success of schemes like Samarth, where over 2.5 lakh people have received capacity-building and skill development training, with a majority finding placement in the industry.

Underlining the Vocal for Local initiative, Prime Minister Modi mentioned the government’s efforts to create systems like exhibitions and malls for small artisans. He reflected on the positive impact of stable government policies, leading to the valuation of the Indian textiles market crossing 12 lakh crore rupees, a 25 percent increase in production, and doubling of FDI in the sector in the last 10 years.

Prime Minister Modi expressed confidence in India becoming a global export hub, citing the textile sector’s contribution during the Covid pandemic in manufacturing PPE kits and face masks. He urged the textile industry to focus on exports, explore new areas like technical textiles, and conduct research in modern textile domains.

The Prime Minister concluded by encouraging the industry to come forward with a new vision catering to global needs, diversifying markets, and exploring innovative areas within the textile sector. Union Minister for Commerce & Industry and Textiles, Shri Piyush Goyal, and Union Minister of State for Textiles, Smt. Darshana Jardosh, were present at the event among other dignitaries.