Textiles Ministry Holds First Post-Budget Industry Meet to Fast-Track TEEM, Tex Eco

The Ministry of Textiles convened its first post-Budget National Industry Consultation at Vanijya Bhawan, bringing together senior government officials, industry leaders, financial institutions, development partners and stakeholders across the textile value chain to deliberate on implementation priorities following the Union Budget 2026 announcements.

The consultation focused on operationalising two flagship initiatives unveiled in the Budget:

• Textile Expansion and Employment Mission (TEEM)

• Tex Eco Initiative

Both programmes aim to strengthen competitiveness, accelerate modernisation, promote sustainability and drive large-scale employment generation across the textile and apparel sector.

Budget Signals Textile-Centric Growth Push

Delivering the welcome address, Shri Rohit Kansal, Additional Secretary (Textiles), described the Union Budget as distinctly textile-centric, with a clear emphasis on manufacturing expansion and employment creation.

He noted that the integrated programme announced in the Budget provides a comprehensive framework to align:

• Investments

• Policy support

• Institutional coordination

across the textile value chain.

"The Budget signals a clear intent to scale manufacturing, strengthen domestic capabilities and position textiles as a key driver of inclusive growth and job creation," he said.

FTAs and Budget Convergence Offer Strategic Advantage

In her special address, Smt. Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary (Textiles), observed that despite global economic headwinds, the Indian textile sector has demonstrated resilience and now stands at a favourable inflection point.

She highlighted that recently concluded Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) are opening new export opportunities, improving tariff competitiveness and enhancing India's integration into global value chains.

"The convergence of these trade agreements with a distinctly textile-centric Union Budget creates a timely and strategic advantage for the sector," she noted.

With expanded market access and focused policy backing, the industry is well positioned to:

• Scale up production

• Attract fresh investments

• Deepen global market presence

TEEM: Modernisation and Employment at Scale

A detailed presentation on the Textile Expansion and Employment Mission (TEEM) outlined a roadmap to:

• Modernise weaving, processing and garmenting segments

• Mobilise investments across the value chain

• Strengthen MSME participation

• Generate large-scale employment

The initiative is expected to address structural gaps while enhancing productivity and global competitiveness.

Tex Eco: Mainstreaming Sustainability

The Tex Eco Initiative was presented as a transformative step toward embedding sustainability and circularity in textile manufacturing.

Key focus areas include:

• Resource efficiency

• Green manufacturing practices

• Circular economy integration

• Environmental compliance and global standards

The initiative aims to align Indian textile production with evolving global sustainability benchmarks.

Industry Calls for Speed, Finance and Skilling

The interactive session witnessed proactive participation from industry representatives, who welcomed the forward-looking design of TEEM and Tex Eco.

Stakeholders proposed practical measures to ensure effective implementation, including:

• Time-bound approvals

• Improved MSME financing access

• Enhanced cluster infrastructure

• Targeted skilling programmes

• Digital monitoring systems

• Sustainability-linked incentives

• Convergence with state policies and export measures

Several participants commended the government for rolling out a comprehensive and integrated textiles package.

Ministry Reaffirms Collaborative Implementation

In his concluding remarks, Shri Rohit Kansal reaffirmed the Ministry's commitment to a collaborative and consultative approach.

He encouraged stakeholders to submit detailed written inputs to facilitate timely finalisation of guidelines and ensure measurable on-ground outcomes.

The session concluded with a vote of thanks by Smt. Vrunda Manohar Desai, Textile Commissioner, who reiterated the Ministry's focus on time-bound and outcome-oriented implementation.

Strengthening India's Global Textile Position

The post-Budget National Industry Consultation marks a significant step in strengthening structured government–industry dialogue and advancing a coordinated roadmap to enhance India's standing as a credible, competitive and sustainable global textile hub.

The deliberations reflected a shared resolve to anchor India's textile growth on three pillars — scale, sustainability and reliability — positioning the country as a trusted global partner in the years ahead.