Indian textile-related bodies with the support of Government of India are organizing the third edition of Bharat Tex in New Delhi from July 14-17, 2026, says Dr Seshadri Ramkumar.
Textile trade will play an important role in enhancing the trade between the United States and India.
In a recent meeting, Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce, Government of India, stated that India should aim at reaching exports valued at $one trillion in 2026-27. Currently, India’s total export value is $441.75 billion, and has an overall trade deficit of $334.27 billion. United States remains the number one trading partner with a total value of $140.80 billion. Unites States hopes that the trade will increase to $500 billion soon. Of the total exports, textiles and apparels are about $40 billion, which is about 10 per cent of the total export value. For India and the United States to reach their expectations, sectors like textiles and leather should double their exports.
To increase exports, there is a need to enhance opportunities to market products and exchange technical and product knowledge. Indian textile-related bodies with the support of Government of India are organizing the third edition of Bharat Tex in New Delhi from July 14-17, 2026. In addition to products expo, multiple knowledge sessions are arranged for technical and marketing information exchanges.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has come up with a 5F vision for the industry, “Farm to Fiber, to Fabric, to Fashion and to Foreign.” Major international events that attract not only industry, and academia, but also trade and professional associations will enable the vision of the Prime Minister to boost trade and technical knowledge.
While the trade deal between India and the United States is not yet sealed, both parties are eager to get it done soon. Recently, speaking at an event in Washington, DC, United States’ Ambassador to India, Honorable Sergio Gor indicated the importance of the deal and said only 1-2 per cent of the negotiation is pending.
Industry and trade associations are focused on marketing their products, while focusing on the next generation workforce and students is vital for the industry. United States-based American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) will be participating in the Bhart Tex event to strengthen collaboration with industry and academia. AATCC will be having a team of four people to engage in technical and education collaborations.
AATCC is having interest in building a strong partnership with India as it is a textile powerhouse. In 2006, when I organized a major international conference on “Advances in Fibrous Materials, Nonwovens and Technical Textiles-AFNT-2006,” in Coimbatore, AATCC was one of the technical partners. Again, in 2013, a collaborative conference was organized in Mumbai focusing on functional aspects of textiles.
“With over a century of leadership in developing internationally recognized textile testing standards, AATCC is delighted to engage with India’s textile industry as it embraces modern innovation and global excellence,” stated Gregg Woodcock.
As Indian textile sector is serious about doubling its exports, focus needs to be on functional textiles and developing standards. These are the areas where partnership with AATCC will help. “From colorfastness and biological properties to moisture management, sustainability, and beyond, AATCC can provide trusted standards and technical expertise for the industry to meet international requirements,” added Gregg Woodcock.
Since last year, I am working to build student chapters for AATCC in India at academic institutions so that future workforce will have international exposure during college years and the students can get to know the importance of standards, and research. Five student chapters have been already established at institutions in Coimbatore, Chennai, and Bengaluru, which give opportunities for students to receive scholarships from AATCC and engage in discussions with experts from brands and global academia.
“AATCC’s participation in Bharat Tex is a unique opportunity for students and members of universities to meet the AATCC team. AATCC team will be delighted to welcome the expo participants and students at the AATCC Booth and provide more information about membership and quality standards. This certainly is a unique opportunity for exchanging views about the industry in both countries,” briefed Kanti Jasani, Chairperson of the Membership Committee of AATCC.
Coimbatore-based Kumaraguru College of Technology (KCT) is participating in the event, and they have already planned to visit with the AATCC team at Bharat Tex.
“Engaging with professional bodies like AATCC is highly important for institutions like KCT. It gives our students practical exposure to global standards, cutting-edge technology, and industry best practices beyond their regular curriculum. It also helps the faculty to stay updated with the latest trends. Recently, KCT became a member of AATCC, and we already have around 50 students and a few faculty facilitators as active members,” stated Professor A Pavendhan, Associate Dean at Kumaraguru College of Technology.
Creating opportunities for students to interact with international associations is the next phase in developing technical education. The visit of associations like AATCC and having programs to engage with students at the event is a welcoming one.
When the governments are engaging to seal deals for win-win trade partnerships, collaborations between Indian academia and industry with international professional associations will strengthen the industry and textile education.
About the author:
Dr Seshadri Ramkumar is a Professor, Nonwovens & Advanced Materials Laboratory in Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA.