National Technical Textiles Mission: Five Years of Impact

Context:

Released on March 27, 2025, by the Press Information Bureau under the Ministry of Textiles, this document marks five years of the National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM), launched in 2020. It highlights India’s strides in technical textiles, emphasizing innovation, economic growth, and global leadership ambitions, with a budget of Rs. 1,480 crore extending to 2025-26, as of March 27, 2025.

Key Information Points:

• Launch and Vision: Initiated in 2020 by the Ministry of Textiles, NTTM aims to position India as a global leader in technical textiles.
• Budget and Duration: Allocated Rs. 1,480 crore for 2020-21 to 2025-26; Rs. 517 crore budgeted, with Rs. 393.39 crore utilized so far.
• Core Objectives: Focuses on research, market development, export promotion, and skill enhancement in technical textiles.
• Textile Industry Context: India is the 6th largest textile exporter globally (3.9% share), contributing 2% to GDP, projected to reach $350 billion by 2030, creating 3.5 crore jobs.
• Technical Textiles Defined: Specialized fabrics designed for functionality over aesthetics, used in industries like automotive, construction, agriculture, healthcare, and safety.
• 12 Categories: Includes Agrotech, Buildtech, Clothtech, Geotech, Hometech, Indutech, Meditech, Mobiltech, Oekotech, Packtech, Protech, and Sportech.
• Component I - Research, Innovation, and Development: Supports R&D with 168 projects worth Rs. 509 crore, covering carbon fiber, aramid fiber, nylon fiber, composites, geotextiles, agro-textiles, medical textiles, mobile textiles, sports textiles, and biodegradable textiles.
• Component II - Promotion and Market Development: Enhances adoption via market promotion and global collaborations.
• Component III - Export Promotion: Targets export growth with MATEXIL (formerly SRTEPC) as the dedicated council; textile imports dropped 15% from FY 2022-23 ($8,946 million) to FY 2023-24.
• Component IV - Education, Training, and Skill Development: Aims to train 50,000 individuals through 12 industry-focused courses by SITRA, NITRA, and SASMIRA; 38 academic proposals worth Rs. 191 crore approved for lab upgrades and faculty training.
• Quality Control: Issued 68 QCOs across segments (20 Geotech, 12 Protective, 20 Agro, 6 Medical, 9 Ropes & Cordages, 1 Indutech).
• Standards Development: Over 600 BIS standards for technical textiles, including 200+ since NTTM’s launch.
• GREAT Scheme: Launched August 2023, provides Rs. 50 lakh each to 8 startups for innovations in medical, industrial, and protective textiles; Rs. 6.5 crore to three institutes (e.g., IIT Indore, NIT Patna) for specialized courses in geotextiles, geosynthetics, and sports textiles.
• Technotex 2024: Part of Bharat Tex 2024, featured a 693 sqm Innovation Zone showcasing 71 projects (48 prototypes, 23 posters).
• Success Story - Mahina: Eicher Goodearth’s leak-proof period underwear, made from natural materials, offers 12-hour protection and lasts 100 washes.
• State Initiatives: Tamil Nadu’s budget prioritizes technical textiles with PM MITRA Park in Virudhunagar, a textile park in Salem, and increased spinning modernization subsidy from 2% to 6%.
• Future Outlook: NTTM, with initiatives like GIST 2.0, aims to drive economic growth and global competitiveness through innovation and research.

Key Terms:

• NTTM: National Technical Textiles Mission, launched to boost technical textiles in India.
• Technical Textiles: Fabrics designed for specific functions across various industries.
• QCOs: Quality Control Orders ensuring standards in technical textiles.
• GREAT Scheme: Funding program for startups and educational institutes in technical textiles.
• BIS Standards: Bureau of Indian Standards guidelines for quality and safety.
• MATEXIL: Export promotion council for synthetic and rayon technical textiles.
• PM MITRA Park: Mega textile park initiative for integrated development.