Textile India 2017 Emphasises On 'Skill, Scale And Speed'

With an aim to promote textile industry in India, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Textiles India 2017 at Gandhinagar, Gujarat on Friday (30 June).

Calling it India’s first ever mega textiles trade fair, the PM said, “The textile industry is being infused with the mantras of 'skill,scale,speed' & 'zero-defect, zero-effect'.”

He said that textile bridges the gap between agriculture and industry.  While addressing  the gathering at Mahatma Mandir, Modi said, “It being the second largest employer after agriculture, the textile sector offers significant employment opportunities.” The Prime Minister expressed the hope that Textiles India 2017 will help familiarise global and Indian leaders with India’s enabling policy environment, strengths and  vast opportunities.

He said, “The domestic market for apparel and lifestyle products, currently estimated at US Dollars 85 billion, is expected to reach US Dollars 160 billion by 2025. This growth will be driven by the rising middle class. There is also a high global demand for textiles and apparel manufactured in our country. India is the world’s second largest exporter of textiles, commanding a global share of around five percent. Indian textiles, including traditional handloom and handicraft products, are exported to more than a hundred countries.”

Describing India a bright spot in the global economy, Modi said that India has emerged as one of the most attractive global investment destinations. This has been made possible by a series of sustained policy initiatives.

He said that more than seven thousand reforms have been implemented to improve the ease of doing business. Processes have been simplified and made transparent. Government has repealed over twelve hundred outdated laws.

Modi added, “India has moved up by 32 places in the last two years in the Global Competitiveness Index of the World Economic Forum. This is the highest for any country.  India moved up 19 places on the World Bank Logistics Performance Index of 2016. We have also moved up sixteen places on the Global Innovation Index of the World Intellectual Property Organisation in 2016. We are third among the top ten FDI destinations listed by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.”

The three-day event is expected to be attended by participants from 106 countries. Around 15000 Indian buyers and sellers, 2500 international buyers, international delegates and representatives, artisans and weavers have come together for the event.

Union Minister of Textile, Smriti Irani, said, “Textiles India 2017 gives a platform for global partnerships in order to benefit local businesses.”

Calling it an attempt to bring textiles, traditions and technology together, she added, “A special package announced under the aegis of the Prime Minister for apparel and made-ups seeks to boost exports by Rs 1 lakh 94 crore and attract investment upto Rs 74,000 crore. The government’s commitment to ensure that technology enhances productivity has resulted into approval of Rs. 17,822 crore for technology upgradation in textiles for the period of 2015-2022.”
 
Chief Minister of Gujarat, Vijay Rupani said that Gujarat is fortunate to have gotten the opportunity to host Textiles India 2017. Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Chandrababu Naidu complimented the Ministry of Textiles for organising the event, saying that the textiles sector will continue to survive for times to come.

Governor of Gujarat,  OP Kohli; Chief Minister of Gujarat, Vijay Rupani, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, N. Chandrababu Naidu and MoS, Textiles, Ajay Tamta addressed the audience. Minister for Irrigation, Handloom and Textile and Sericulture, Government of Assam, Ranjit Dutta; Minister for Textiles, Government of Karnataka, Rudrappa Manappa Lamani and Minister for Cooperation, Textiles and Marketing, Government of Maharashtra, Shri Subash Deshmukh and Chairman, Jharkhand State Gramodyog Board, Shri Sanjay Sheth were also present.

Minister of State for Textiles, Ajay Tamta, ministers representing Gujarat, Telangana, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Assam and Karnataka were among several dignitaries who participated in the inaugural session.

Top industrilsts, including, president, US Polo association, David Cummings; CEO, UK India Business Council; Richard Heald; MD; Arvind Mills; Sanjay Lalbhai; Chairman and MD, Raymond,  Gautam Hari Singhania; Chairman, Aditya Birla Group, Shri Kumar Mangalam Birla, and Chairman of Korea Federation of Textile Industries (KOFOTI), Kihak Sung were also present on the occasion.