India’s Textile Industry Charts Green Roadmap At 4th Sustainable Textile Summit

The PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) hosted the 4th Sustainable Textile Summit (STS) in New Delhi on Sept. 16, 2025, where senior government officials, industry leaders and global experts deliberated on strategies to transform India’s textile industry into a global hub for sustainable production.

Themed “Innovating Towards a Sustainable Future: Collaborative Strategies in the Textile Industry,” the summit emphasized circularity, clean technologies, carbon markets, and inclusive growth models as critical drivers of competitiveness.

Delivering the keynote, Rajinder Kumar, Economic Advisor, Ministry of Textiles, said sustainability is now central to India’s textile roadmap, with initiatives like the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, integrated textile parks, and upcoming recycling mandates. “India’s ambition is to lead the global sustainable textile movement. Industry must align with climate commitments and adopt circular production,” he said.

Roop Rashi, CEO, Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), highlighted Khadi’s eco-friendly and community-centric model, describing it as “a movement rooted in nature and rural empowerment.”

Industry Leaders Weigh In
Industry voices stressed both challenges and opportunities. R.K. Vij, Co-chair, PHDCCI Textiles Committee, underscored the twin pressures of global competitiveness and environmental responsibility, urging policy incentives for recycling and MSME adoption of clean technologies.

Rajeev Gupta, Joint MD, RSWM Ltd., reminded participants that reuse and repurposing are embedded in Indian culture but often overlooked globally. He called for scaling recycling capabilities and renewable energy adoption, while showcasing RSWM’s PET bottle recycling and water conservation initiatives.

Debabrata Ghosh of Oerlikon Textiles India presented advanced recycling and energy-efficient technologies that are reshaping global textile production, while reiterating Oerlikon’s net-zero target for 2050.

Dr. Pankaj Kumar (UNIDO) flagged the textile sector’s high environmental costs, nearly 10% of global emissions, and urged faster adoption of circular practices, renewable energy and safer supply chains.

Circular Economy, Finance and Carbon Markets
Panel discussions highlighted pathways for industry transformation. Dr. Ashok Kumar (BEE) pointed to innovations in waste heat recovery and micro-turbines that are reducing energy and water use in textile clusters. Murugan Thenkondar (Aditya Birla Group) reaffirmed the group’s commitment to net zero by 2040, noting elimination of harmful chemicals from man-made fibre production.

From a financing perspective, R.K. Singh, CGM, SIDBI, explained in detail schemes supporting MSMEs in renewable energy, energy efficiency and circular economy projects, urging participants to leverage the Green MSME Portal.

Carbon markets also took centre stage. Anil Kumar V (Kosher Climate) explained how textile companies can generate revenue from carbon credits while meeting compliance mandates. “Sustainability is both a necessity and a growth opportunity,” he said.

Authenticity, Standards and Social Inclusion
Speakers emphasized that credibility in sustainability must come from traceability and certifications. Abhishek Jani (Fairtrade India) stressed that sustainability has a cost that must be equitably shared across the value chain. Bureau Veritas and BIS highlighted evolving global and Indian standards, while TÜV Rheinland flagged the urgent need to strengthen India’s textile recycling ecosystem.

The summit also underlined the “S” in ESG. ILO’s Bansari Nag urged industry to uphold labour rights and farmer livelihoods, stressing that “labour is not a commodity, it is about human rights at work.”

Road Ahead
With over 175 delegates from MSMEs, brands, exporters, academia and government, the summit laid the groundwork for an industry–government–academia roadmap for sustainable textiles.

Supported by partners including SIDBI, Khadi India, Oerlikon Barmag, RSWM Ltd., Grasim Industries, CSM and Fairtrade India, the event reflected a growing consensus that India must move swiftly towards low-carbon, circular and socially inclusive growth to maintain global competitiveness.