Sustainability Can Be A Key Differentiator For Textile Companies To Boost Global Competitiveness: Textiles Additional Secy

New Delhi, Nov 14 (KNN) India’s textile and apparel industry should view sustainability not merely as a compliance requirement but as a strategic opportunity to strengthen its global market position, Union Textiles Ministry Additional Secretary Rohit Kansal said on Thursday.

Addressing a webinar organised by the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) and Swaniti Initiative on the ‘Industry Transition Readiness Index for Decarbonisation of the Textile Sector’, Kansal said sustainability could serve as a key differentiator for companies seeking to enhance competitiveness in international markets. 

He noted that several large firms and textile clusters—including Tiruppur, Surat and Panipat—have already begun integrating sustainability and circularity into their operations. Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) form the bulk of India’s textile and apparel ecosystem.

Kansal, who also chairs the Ministry’s ESG Task Force, underscored the need for accelerated efforts to adopt clean energy sources, promote resource efficiency and strengthen skill development as part of the industry’s decarbonisation pathway. 

“There can be no green transition without adequately skilled manpower to lead the transition,” he said. 

He added that the government would continue to support MSMEs by easing access to finance for reducing reliance on fossil fuels, emphasising that “no one should get left behind.”

CITI Chairman Ashwin Chandran said a stronger push for sustainability would help futureproof the sector. 

Aligning with India’s climate commitments—particularly the goal of achieving Net Zero by 2070—represents “both a responsibility and an opportunity” for the industry, he noted. 

Chandran added that CITI would collaborate closely with stakeholders to operationalise the textile decarbonisation index, designed to help companies identify areas for improving production practices and foster peer learning.

Swaniti Initiative CEO Rwitwika Bhattacharya highlighted India’s progress in renewable energy, noting that the sector provides a foundation for the textile industry’s green transition.

The push toward sustainability has gained urgency amid India’s ongoing free trade agreement negotiations with the European Union, where environmental and social standards—including emissions, human rights practices and supply-chain transparency—carry significant weight for market access.

India aims to build a USD 350 billion textile and apparel industry by 2030, including USD 100 billion in exports. The sector was valued at nearly USD 180 billion in FY 2024–25, with exports reaching about USD 38 billion.

(KNN Bureau)