In a significant move to strengthen India's technical textiles sector, the Ministry of Textiles has approved four promising start-ups and introduced specialized courses in leading educational institutes. The decisions were made during the 10th Empowered Programme Committee (EPC) meeting under the National Technical Textiles Mission, chaired by the Secretary of the Ministry of Textiles at Udyog Bhawan, New Delhi.

As part of the ‘Grant for Research & Entrepreneurship across Aspiring Innovators in Technical Textiles (GREAT)’ scheme, four start-ups have been awarded a grant of approximately INR 50 lakh each. These projects focus on Medical Textiles, Industrial Textiles, and Protective Textiles, paving the way for innovative solutions in these critical domains.

Further, the committee has approved a grant of INR 6.5 crore for three prestigious education institutes to introduce specialized courses in technical textiles. Among them, IIT Indore and NIT Patna will integrate advanced subjects like Geotextiles, Geosynthetics, Protective Textiles, and Sports Textiles into their academic programs. This initiative aims to create a skilled workforce that meets the evolving demands of the industry.

In addition, 12 new Skill Development Courses have been introduced to provide hands-on training across the technical textiles value chain. Developed by leading Textile Research Associations – SITRA, NITRA, and SASMIRA – these courses will cater to diverse sectors, including Medical Textiles, Protective Textiles, Mobile Textiles, and Agricultural Textiles.

The Ministry of Textiles’ latest initiatives underscore the government’s commitment to fostering research, innovation, and workforce development in technical textiles, positioning India as a global leader in this rapidly growing industry.