Bharat Tex 2026 Helping Small Entrepreneurs, MSMEs Enter Export Markets: Giriraj Singh

New Delhi:  Union textiles minister Giriraj Singh said that Bharat Tex 2026, which kicked off on Tuesday, is India's largest global textile event, helping small entrepreneurs enter the export markets. “Even small-scale entrepreneurs who may not have ever even thought of exporting are present here today. I am expecting that this time we will break all records in terms of the number of exporters and buyers visiting,” he said, while inaugurating the event in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Singh also said that India is currently exporting textile products from 550 districts, and the government's export diversification strategy has helped the sector remain resilient despite global uncertainty. “India's strategy to target 40 key nations for export diversification helped the textiles sector register sustained export growth despite global uncertainty,” he said.

The minister also pointed out that buyers from 130 countries have come to India. “We are in the process of negotiating free trade agreements (FTAs) with various nations; some are underway while others have been signed. This shows we are ready to compete globally,” Singh told reporters on the sidelines of the event.

As many as 130 countries are participating in the third edition of Bharat Tex 2026, including the US, UK, Japan, Russia, South Africa, UAE and Bangladesh, among others. “The wide participation in Bharat Tex 2026 underscores India's growing global presence in the textiles sector amid the government's push for FTAs, export diversification and ease of doing business reforms,” Singh said.

“Led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we have identified 40 nations for export diversification which we are working on; therefore, India's textiles exports did not suffer much despite global uncertainty. Over 90 per cent of the exhibitors at Bharat Tex 2026 are micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), reflecting the sector's broad-based participation,” he added.

Highlighting the sector’s growth ambitions, the minister also said that India aims to build a $350 billion textile market by 2030, comprising $100 billion in exports and a $250 billion domestic market. Asked what message he will convey to global textile buyers looking to diversify beyond China, Singh said: “I have a meeting with them. This time not only buyers are coming here but also investors.”

The minister also highlighted that several textile manufacturing clusters such as Tiruppur, Surat, Ichalkaranji, Panipat and Ludhiana are gaining prominence, aided by improvements in the ease of doing business. He also noted that the government has waived the import duty on cotton till October.