New Delhi, July 14: Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh on Tuesday said Bharat Tex 2026 will serve as a major catalyst for boosting India’s textile exports and attracting global investments, expressing confidence that the country’s textile industry is on course to achieve its ambitious target of building a USD 350 billion textile market, including USD 100 billion in exports by 2030.
Addressing the media on the sidelines of Bharat Tex 2026, Singh said the mega textile event has attracted participation from more than 130 countries and over 60,000 exhibitors, highlighting India’s growing prominence in the global textile and apparel industry.
“I hope that this time, the exporters and the buyers will break all the records of the world,” the minister said, adding that India’s expanding network of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) is opening new international markets and enhancing the competitiveness of Indian textile products.
Singh said nearly 90 per cent of the participants at Bharat Tex 2026 are Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), many of whom are entering export markets for the first time.
“Those who never thought that they would export, those small entrepreneurs have come,” he said, noting that artisans and entrepreneurs from nearly 550 districts are now exporting handloom, handicrafts, textiles and garments.
The minister also described Bharat Tex as a key investment platform, citing a Taiwanese company’s decision to manufacture stitching machines in India as evidence of rising investor confidence in the country’s textile ecosystem.
Highlighting India’s growing capabilities in technical textiles, Singh said the country has emerged as a leading exporter of Flexible Intermediate Bulk Containers (FIBCs) while significantly reducing dependence on imports.
Emphasising the employment potential of the garment industry, he said, “When you invest Rs 1 crore in the garment sector, it gives employment to 50 to 60 people,” adding that the sector continues to be one of the country’s largest job creators.
Meanwhile, several states used Bharat Tex 2026 to showcase their textile strengths and attract fresh investments.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, while inaugurating the Punjab Pavilion, invited domestic and international investors to invest in the state’s textile industry, highlighting Punjab’s integrated textile value chain from cotton cultivation and spinning to garment manufacturing and exports.
“BharatTex is not merely an exhibition of products but a platform where India’s textile future is being imagined, partnerships are being forged, and new opportunities are taking shape,” Mann said.
He also claimed that Punjab has attracted ₹2 lakh crore in investments and generated five lakh employment opportunities over the past four years, supported by investor-friendly industrial policies and streamlined approval mechanisms.
Jharkhand, too, showcased its traditional textile heritage through a dedicated pavilion displaying six Geographical Indication (GI)-tagged handloom products, including Tassar Silk, Kuchai Silk and Bhagaiya Saree.
State Industries Minister Sanjay Prasad Yadav said the initiative aims to expand the reach of Jharkhand’s handloom products beyond state borders.
“Our identity should extend beyond the boundaries of our state and reach national as well as global markets,” Yadav said.
He added that promoting Jharkhand’s textile heritage on international platforms would generate employment within the state and reduce migration of youth.
“By showcasing Jharkhand’s rich handloom and textile heritage on international platforms, we aim to create greater employment opportunities within the state so that our youth do not have to migrate in search of livelihoods. More employment will accelerate the economic growth and overall development of Jharkhand,” he said.
