PHDCCI Successfully Hosts Technical Textiles Meet In Ludhiana

The PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), in collaboration with the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, under the National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM), successfully organized a one-day Conference on Technical Textiles at the CICU Complex, Focal Point, Ludhiana. The event aimed to foster dialogue, collaboration, and strategic growth in India’s technical textile sector.

Themed “Market Growth, Challenges, Opportunities & Way Forward,” the high-impact conference drew over 150 delegates, including industry leaders, policymakers, innovators, MSMEs, and academia. The discussions centered on innovation, sustainable practices, skilling, and investment opportunities across the technical textile value chain.

The conference commenced with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp by Chief Guest Ajay Gupta, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India. In his keynote address, Gupta emphasized the importance of Ludhiana as a strategic hub for technical textiles and outlined key policy initiatives under the NTTM.

R.K. Vij, Co-Chair, PHDCCI Textile Committee, welcomed all dignitaries and participants, highlighting the sector’s transformative potential across healthcare, agriculture, defense, and infrastructure. He stressed the need for increased R&D investment, development of domestic machinery and enhanced industry-academia partnerships, calling for collective efforts to establish India as a global hub for high-performance and value-added textiles.

Ashok Malhotra, Mission Director, NTTM, highlighted the progress of the mission since its launch in FY 2020-21 with an outlay of Rs 1480 crore. He shared key achievements, including 168 R&D projects sanctioned (Rs 519 crore), 31 patents filed, 20 startups supported (Rs 10.34 crore in grants and 16 skill development courses approved and over 500 trainees trained

He also emphasized the mission’s support for startup incubation and the creation of specialized technical textiles centres.

Rahul Chaba, Additional CEO, Invest Punjab, confirmed Punjab’s readiness to lead the technical textiles sector with a strong industrial base, skilled workforce, and investor-friendly policies. He presented the state’s “Fast Track Punjab” single-window clearance system and shared key incentives for potential investors.

Sunil Kumar Puri discussed the revolutionary role of flat-bed knitting machines in enabling 2D and 3D fabric structures for applications in medical, automotive, and protective gear. He highlighted opportunities for integrating smart functionalities like embedded sensors and conductive yarns, promoting sustainable, low-waste production.

Debabrata Ghosh, Vice President, Oerlikon Textile India Pvt. Ltd., showcased the company’s innovations across sectors such as aerospace, automotive, and textiles. He emphasized Oerlikon’s commitment to sustainable and high-performance solutions, particularly in nonwoven technologies.

Akhil Seth spotlighted India’s strength in segments like Packtech, Meditech, and Geotech. He called for the establishment of regional Centres of Excellence in Ludhiana and stronger industry-academia collaboration to foster innovation and exports.

Rajiv Sajdeh focused on the use of natural fibres, particularly wool, in technical textiles. Citing its flame resistance, moisture regulation, and sustainability, he urged policy reforms to address QCO restrictions and testing costs. He also proposed a “TechTex Green Compliant” certification for recyclers under NTTM to promote circularity and reduce reliance on international standards.

The event featured sessions by representatives from Ministry of MSME, Textile Commissioner’s Office, BIS, SIDBI, Shingora Textiles, Versatile Enterprises and Nirmal Sagar Enterprises.

Key discussions focused on BIS standards and certifications, MSME support through SIDBI, Circular economy models and green certifications and Building a skilled, future-ready workforce.

Notable speakers included Dr. M. S. Parmar, DG, NITRA, Dr. Swapna Mishra, CEO, Textile Sector Skill Council, Somjit Amrit, CEO, IIT Mandi iHub and Naresh Kumar, HOD, The Government Institute of Textile Chemistry & Knitting Technology.

The conference concluded with a strong consensus among industry and government stakeholders to strengthen Ludhiana’s position as a premier hub for technical textiles in India. Emphasis was laid on sustainability, innovation, skilling, and investment-friendly policies. The event reaffirmed India’s commitment to building a globally competitive technical textile ecosystem aligned with the vision of the National Technical Textiles Mission.