These laboratories are geographically distributed across the Northern, Central, Southern, and Eastern zones.

In a major boost to India’s textile and agriculture sectors, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has undertaken a national project to strengthen cotton fibre testing infrastructure across India. Operating as the National Standards Body of India under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, BIS is providing direct financial support to establish high-precision testing facilities in critical regional nodes.

Under its Scheme for Supporting Other Laboratories for Creation/Augmentation of Test Facilities in Critical Areas, BIS with approval for the Rs 380.72 million initiative from the Department of Consumer Affairs, GoI targets the modernization of 21 key laboratories operated by the Textiles Committee, Power Loom Service Centres, and the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI), located across key cotton-producing regions of India.

Rs 380.72 million project details and upgrades

Significant progress has already been achieved by BIS this year, resulting in the installation and commissioning of 14 HVI Testers and 28 Trash Analysers across 13 laboratories (comprising 11 laboratories of the Textiles Committee and 2 of the Cotton Corporation of India).

These laboratories are geographically distributed across the Northern, Central, Southern, and Eastern zones. This ensures comprehensive coverage for major cotton-producing regions spanning Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Odisha.

As India is the world’s largest cotton producer accounting for approximately 23% of global output, accurate fibre testing is critical for quality assessment, fair pricing, export competitiveness, and end-to-end quality assurance.

By establishing this technologically advanced testing network, BIS is ensuring standardized quality parameters across the entire cotton-to-textile supply chain. The initiative directly bridges critical infrastructural gaps, empowering local producers and positioning Indian cotton for sustained international leadership.