Giriraj Singh Opens Bharat Tex 2026 With Record Global Participation

Union Minister of Textiles Giriraj Singh inaugurated Bharat Tex 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, officially opening India’s flagship global textile event with record international participation. Organised by the Bharat Tex Trade Federation (BTTF) with the support of the Ministry of Textiles, the four-day event has brought together more than 6,000 buyers from over 130 countries, over 1.3 lakh trade visitors, more than 20,000 textile products, and exhibitors spread across 1.6 million sq. ft., of exhibition space, reaffirming India’s position as a trusted global sourcing destination.

The inaugural ceremony was attended by Minister of State for Textiles Shri Pabitra Margherita, Textile Secretary Neelam Shami Rao, senior government officials, global buyers, sourcing heads, exporters, investors and industry leaders. International participation was further strengthened by delegations from Russia, led by Timur Gavaev, Minister of Agriculture and New Zealand, headed by Mark Patterson, Associate Minister of Agriculture and Minister for Rural Communities.

Giriraj Singh, Union Minister, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India and Pabitra Margherita, Minister of State, Ministry of Textiles, commemorate the inauguration of Bharat Tex 2026 with Leaders of Bharat Tex Trade federation, alongside distinguished guests.

This year’s edition has brought together eight sponsor States – Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and nine participating States and Union Territories, showcasing their textile infrastructure, investment opportunities and policy initiatives.

Addressing the gathering, Giriraj Singh said Bharat Tex has, within three editions, evolved into a globally recognised platform for trade, investment, innovation and policy dialogue, reflecting international confidence in India’s textile manufacturing capabilities.

Giriraj Singh, Union Minister, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India and Pabitra Margherita, Minister of State, Ministry of Textiles, mark the official opening of Bharat Tex 2026 with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting ceremony, alongside leaders of the Bharat Tex Trade Federation and distinguished guests.

Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 5F Vision Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign, he said Bharat Tex has become a powerful platform connecting Indian enterprises with global markets.

“The world doesn’t just need a supplier, it needs a reliable partner with innovation at scale. From sustainable and circular fibres to smart manufacturing and technical textiles, India is leading the future of textiles,” the Minister said.

Highlighting key policy initiatives, the Minister said the seven PM MITRA Mega Textile Parks, expected to attract nearly Rs 70,000 crore in investment and generate over 21 lakh jobs, along with the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme and the SAMARTH skilling programme, are transforming India into a globally competitive textile manufacturing hub. He noted that over 5 lakh people, nearly 88% of them women, have been trained under the SAMARTH scheme.

Giriraj Singh, Union Minister, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India and Pabitra Margherita, Minister of State, Ministry of Textiles, launch the Bharat Tex 2026 Exhibitor Directory alongside leaders of the Bharat Tex Trade Federation and distinguished guests during the inauguration ceremony.

Emphasising India’s expanding global trade footprint, Singh said recent trade agreements, including the India-Australia ECTA, India-UAE CEPA, India-Oman CEPA and the India-UK CETA, are creating new export opportunities, while negotiations with the European Union and other major economies continue.

Reaffirming the Government’s long-term vision, he said India’s textile exports are targeted to grow from around US$ 37.7 billion to US$ 100 billion by 2030, driven by the four pillars of Style, Scale, Skill and Sustainability.

Minister of State for Textiles Pabitra Margherita said Bharat Tex has established itself as the world’s largest integrated textile event and highlighted the enormous export potential in the European Union, which imports textiles and apparel worth over US$ 292 billion annually. He also underlined the untapped opportunities in India’s Northeast for natural fibres such as Eri, Muga and Mulberry silk.

Giriraj Singh, Union Minister, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India and Pabitra Margherita, Minister of State, Ministry of Textiles, visit the Bharat Tex 2026 exhibition floor, accompanied by leaders of the Bharat Tex Trade Federation and industry stakeholders.

Textile Secretary Neelam Shami Rao said the world is increasingly choosing to partner with India rather than merely sourcing from it. She noted that policy initiatives, including the PLI Scheme, National Technical Textiles Mission, Export Promotion Mission, and Budget 2026-27 initiatives such as the National Fibre Scheme and Tex-Eco Initiative, are supporting the Ministry’s vision of achieving US$ 100 billion in textile exports by 2030.

A major highlight of the inaugural ceremony was the signing of a Letter of Intent (LoI) between the Bharat Tex Trade Federation (BTTF) and Première Vision Paris, one of the world’s leading textile and fashion sourcing platforms. Signed in the presence of the Union Minister, the partnership aims to strengthen India-Europe collaboration in innovation, sustainability, design, buyer-seller engagement and global market access while creating new opportunities for Indian manufacturers, exporters, MSMEs and designers.

The agreement provides for exhibition collaboration, joint export promotion initiatives and the establishment of a Joint Steering Committee to oversee implementation.

Giriraj Singh, Union Minister, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, engages with exhibitors and explores showcased innovations at Bharat Tex 2026, accompanied by Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles and leaders of the Bharat Tex Trade Federation.

During the four-day event, Bharat Tex 2026 will host over 100 knowledge sessions, including panel discussions, roundtables, masterclasses and State investor sessions, featuring more than 350 speakers from over 20 countries. The event is also expected to facilitate over 4,000 B2B meetings, 100 B2G meetings, and the signing of more than 30 MoUs covering trade, investment, technology, sustainability and market access.

The exhibition showcases India’s complete textile value chain from fibres, yarns, fabrics and apparel to home textiles, technical textiles, handlooms, handicrafts, machinery and ancillary industries, with participation from international exhibitors representing 14 countries.

Bharat Tex 2026 will also host the CITI Textile Sustainability Awards 2026, recognising excellence in sustainability across seven key areas, while its digital platform and mobile application provide AI-enabled business matchmaking, meeting scheduling, exhibitor discovery and QR-based lead management.

As India’s flagship global textile event, Bharat Tex 2026 reinforces the country’s emergence as a globally trusted textile manufacturing and sourcing hub, bringing together governments, industry, innovators, investors and buyers to strengthen resilient, sustainable and future-ready global textile value chains.