NOTE ON TECHNICAL TEXTILES

Technical textiles has often been referred as the sunshine sector in India and there is little doubt about the growth of technical textiles industry in the years to come. Technical textiles are functional fabrics which have applications in a very diverse range of economic activities including automobiles, civil engineering and construction, agriculture, healthcare, industrial safety, personal protection etc. There are basically 12 segments of technical textiles which are Agrotech, Meditech, Buildtech, Mobiltech, Clothtech, Oekotech, Geotech, Packtech, Hometech, Protech, Indutech, Sporttech. Technical textile is the emerging area for investment in India. The production of different items of technical textile industry has been slowly but steadily increasing in the country. The accelerated growth of the Indian economy would impact favourably on the growth of the technical textiles. With increase in disposable income, the consumption of technical textiles is expected to increase. The market size of technical textiles in India is estimated at Rs. 63, 202 crore during the year 2011-12 which has grown from Rs. 41,756 crore in the year 2007-08 with annual growth of 11% year on year basis. It is expected that the technical textile industry market size will reach Rs. 1,58,540 crore by the year 2016-17 with a growth rate of 20% year on year basis. Fully cognizant of the market potential of technical textiles in India, the Ministry of Textiles has taken a series of measure to develop the sector in India. The major government initiatives are:Scheme for Growth and Development of Technical Textiles (SGDTT) was launched during 2007-08 of XIth Five Year Plan with three components. The scheme has completed its tenure in the year 2010-11. The scheme comprised of three main components namely, baseline survey, awareness campaigns and creation of Center of excellences. Baseline survey of technical textile industry in India was conducted to make available the data base of technical textile industry in India. The report has been placed in our website www.technotex.gov.in .

 Creation of Awareness: more than 60 awareness programmes/ seminars / workshops were organized in association with TRAs / COEs / industry associations like CII, FICCI across the country. Setting up of four Centres of Excellence (COEs): Four COEs (BTRA for Geotech, SASMIRA for Agrotech, NITRA for Protech & SITRA for Meditech) have been set up for 4 thrust segments of the technical textiles to provide infrastructure support in terms of testing, training , information centre etc at one place for the convenience of the manufacture of technical textiles. Technology Mission on Technical Textiles (TMTT): Ministry of Textiles has launched Technology Mission on Technical Textiles (TMTT) with two mini- missions for a period of five years (from 2010-11 to 2014-15) with a fund outlay of Rs. 200 crore during December 2010. The details of the mission are given below: Mini-Mission- I The objective of Mini Mission I was to strengthen the R&D in the industry, Create infrastructure for testing of technical textiles, emphasize on role of regulation and facilitate the process of development of standards for various technical textile products. In line with these objectives, the Mini Mission I consisted of upgradation of 4 existing COEs already established in Agrotech, Geotech, Protech and Meditech under Scheme for Growth and Development of Technical Textiles (SGDTT) and setting up of additional 4 new COEs. Four more COEs are being established in the area of Nonwovens, Composites, Indutech and Sportech to support the manufacturers of technical textiles of respective segment. The three new COEs have already been designated which are DKTE Societys Textile Textile Industrys and Engineering Institute, Ichalkaranji, (ATIRA), Maharashtra (NonGujarat. Wovens);PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu (Indutech),Ahmedabad Research Association Ahmadabad, (Composites).The designation of COE in Sportech is in process. Mini-Mission-II Basic objectives of Mini Mission II is to support for domestic & export market development of technical textiles. There are six interventions through which government

has attempted to achieve the stated objective of domestic and export market development. The interventions are:i. Support for business start-up Technical textiles is a new area and entrepreneurs especially SME sector find it difficult to start a project on technical textiles .The government has empanelled consultants to do the hand holding of the potential entrepreneurs till the completion of the projects. These consultants provide end to end service to the potential investors including product selection, technology definition and procurement, market assessment, commercialization and marketing assistance. ii. Providing fund support for organizing workshops The awareness about the technical textiles is still low among the stake holders .In order to create the awareness about technical textile ,reputed National and International agencies including the Indian Diaspora settled abroad are being invited to conduct Seminars, Workshops and short term training programmes. iii. Social compliance through standardization, regulatory measures Consultants are being engaged to identify the needed regulatory changes required along with international best practices. iv. Market development Support for marketing support to bulk and institutional buyers etc. Under the Scheme Buyers-sellers meet are being organized across the country wherein all the stakeholders are invited under one umbrella to discuss the business opportunities, showcase products, attend seminars etc. v. Market development Support for export sales There are many reputed technical textile fairs organized abroad. The participation in these fairs will improve the export potential of the indigenous manufacturers. The support includes participation in Technical Textile fairs/Application based fairs by the Indian technical textile manufacturers to exhibit their products. vi. Contract Research and Development through IITs/TRAs/Textile Institutes

Technical textiles is high technology area where most of the new material highend converted products are imported, there is strong need for indigenous development of products for which R&D is of prime importance. Therefore, support is being provided for contract research under this intervention. The other Initiatives of the Ministry of Textiles for Technical textiles are: Major machinery for manufacture of technical textiles has been covered under Technology Up gradation Fund Scheme (TUFS) The major machinery for production of technical textiles is covered in the concessional customs duty list of 5%. Specified technical textile products are covered under Focus Product Scheme. Under this scheme, exports of these products are entitled for duty credit scrip equivalent to 2% of FOB value of exports.

For further details contacts: Textile Commissioner, Post Bag No. 11500, New C.G.O. Building, 48, New Marine Lines, Mumbai 400 020. Tel: 022-2004510, 2014446 Fax: 022-2004693/ 2002495 E mail: [email protected] Web Site: www.technotex.gov.in
(Data Source: A&MMT Section, Updated on 11-04-2012)