India has taken a decisive step to reinvigorate its textile exports, as the newly constituted task force on textile exports convened its inaugural meeting under the leadership of outgoing commerce secretary Sunil Barthwal. The meeting held on 10 june 2025, brought together stakeholders from across the textile value chain to address key bottlenecks and shape forward-looking strategies aimed at boosting the sector’s global standing.

The task force explored a wide range of topics, including skilling, labour productivity, cost optimisation, scaling up domestic manufacturing, and integrating renewable energy and sustainability into operations. A comprehensive review of existing government schemes was also undertaken to evaluate their impact and effectiveness in supporting exporters.

Barthwal emphasized the task force’s objective of providing a unified platform to resolve structural challenges and promote actionable policy solutions. The government aims to position India’s textile industry for robust growth, targeting an ambitious export goal of USD 100 billion by the year 2030-31.

The timing of this initiative aligns with India’s strategic push to diversify its export markets beyond traditional destinations like the US and European Union. Recent trade figures reveal a mixed performance, with exports rebounding to USD 36.55 billion in FY25 after a slight dip in FY24.

Rajesh Agrawal, commerce secretary-designate, highlighted the need for continuous innovation to adapt to evolving global trends and consumer preferences. Special secretary Satya Srinivas echoed this view, urging industry players to leverage ongoing trade talks and preferential access frameworks to unlock new growth opportunities. The task force is expected to meet regularly to monitor progress and guide the sector toward a more resilient and globally competitive future.