India to Begin Carbon Fibre Production by 2025-26: Union Minister Giriraj Singh

New Delhi, Sep 7 (KNN) Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh announced that India is expected to start producing carbon fibre domestically by 2025-26.

Currently, the country relies entirely on imports from the US, France, Japan, and Germany for this niche material, which is vital in sectors like aerospace, civil engineering, and defence.

Singh expressed confidence that India’s entry into carbon fibre production will strengthen its industrial base. “The coming days belong to technical textiles in every sector... I am fully confident that in 2025-26 the niche carbon fibre product will also be with India,” he said.

This development comes as the European Union prepares to implement its Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) in 2026, a tax on carbon-intensive imports.

Domestic production could shield Indian manufacturers from higher costs associated with such taxes and boost the nation’s global competitiveness.

At an event organized by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (Ficci), Singh emphasized the government’s commitment to growing the technical textiles sector.

Through the National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM), 156 research projects, including the development of carbon fibres, have been approved.

Singh also highlighted innovations like the North India Textile Research Association's (NITRA) work on Milkweed fibres, which are suited for cold-weather applications.

He noted that sectors like Meditech—particularly hygiene products—are key to reaching India’s technical textiles export target of USD 10 billion by 2030.

"Thanks to PM Modi’s Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, we have balanced imports in the hygiene sector. Earlier, we imported diapers, but today domestic production is thriving," Singh remarked.

Additionally, he emphasized the job-creating potential of Agrotech, a sector within technical textiles focused on agricultural applications.

Singh concluded by expressing confidence in India's ability to develop high-performance fibres for industries such as aerospace and construction, further strengthening the country's industrial future.

(KNN Bureau)