The startup projects selected under the scheme focus on key strategic areas such as composites, sustainable textiles, and smart textiles.
The Indian government has approved the ‘Grant for Research & Entrepreneurship across Aspiring Innovators in Technical Textiles’ (GREAT) scheme, which will provide grants of approximately Rs 5 million each to four startups in the technical textiles sector.
This announcement was made at the 8th Empowered Programme Committee (EPC) meeting, chaired by the Secretary of the Ministry of Textiles, which was held on Tuesday at Udyog Bhawan in New Delhi. The meeting was part of the National Technical Textiles Mission.
The startup projects selected under the scheme focus on key strategic areas such as composites, sustainable textiles, and smart textiles. Furthermore, approved educational institutes are preparing to introduce new B Tech courses in various aspects of technical textiles, including geotextiles, geosynthetics, composites, and civil structures.
Additionally, with a grant of about Rs 200 million, five educational institutes, including the National Institute of Technology (NITs), will establish new technical textiles courses. These courses will cover diverse applications such as geotextiles, geosynthetics, composites, and civil structures.
In October of the previous year, the Ministry of Textiles had approved 23 strategic research projects worth approximately Rs 600 million, which focused on specialty fibres, sustainable textiles, geotextiles, mobile tech, and sports textiles.
Technical textiles are materials designed for their functional properties rather than aesthetics and find applications in various industries. For instance, they are used in agriculture for crop protection, shade nets, soil stabilisation, and fabrics with conductive properties used in wearables and smart clothing.
India’s technical textiles market is the fifth largest globally, having experienced an 8-10 per cent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the past five years. In 2021-22, the market size reached $21.95 billion, comprising $19.49 billion in domestic production and $2.46 billion in imports.
Recognising this potential, India has established the National Technical Textiles Mission with the goal of achieving an average growth rate of 15-20 per cent. The mission aims to increase the domestic market size of technical textiles to $40-50 billion by 2024 through market development, international collaborations, and the Make in India initiative.
The Technical Textiles sector received heightened attention during the Covid-19 crisis when India rapidly scaled up production of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits and masks, showcasing its ability to innovate under challenging conditions.