Ministry of Textiles press release · 20 March 2026 · pibtracker filter

Union Minister for Textiles Shri Giriraj Singh Visits Agra; Reviews Carpet, Handicrafts, Footwear and Technical Textiles Sectors

PRID2243103 MinistryMinistry of Textiles Released20 March 2026 Reading9 min

Posted On: 20 MAR 2026 6:08PM by PIB Delhi The Union Minister for Textiles, Shri Giriraj Singh, undertook an official visit to Agra, Uttar Pradesh, to review the progress and potential of key sectors including carpets, handicrafts, footwear, and technical textiles. The visit focused on promoting sustainability, innovation, and enhancing India’s global competitiveness in these sectors. During the visit, the Minister toured a carpet manufacturing facility and reviewed sustainable production practices being adopted by the industry. These included the use of vegetable dyes, organic wool, and environmentally friendly processes, aligning the sector with international quality and sustainability standards. Shri Giriraj Singh also interacted with stakeholders from the carpet industry, including exporters and designers. Discussions centred on emerging global design trends, the growing importance of sustainable and alternative fibres such as banana fibre, and strengthening the global positioning of the “India Handmade” brand. The Minister emphasized the role of indigenous trend forecasting tools such as Vision NXT in enhancing design capabilities and improving export competitiveness. Subsequently, the Minister visited a footwear manufacturing unit, where he reviewed advancements in the sector. He noted that the integration of technical textiles is significantly improving product quality and export potential. He also appreciated the role of young professionals in driving innovation in the footwear industry. A stakeholder meeting was held with representatives from the footwear industry, technical textiles sector, and allied industries. Key issues discussed included: Leveraging technical textiles in footwear manufacturing Expanding the use of AI and advanced technologies in production and design Strengthening product innovation and design capabilities Facilitating the shift towards high-end, export-oriented footwear Developing a strategic roadmap to enhance India’s share in the global footwear market Promoting awareness and adoption of technical textiles in the sector The Minister highlighted that technical textiles will play a pivotal role in transforming India’s footwear industry into a high-value, design-driven, and globally competitive sector. He reiterated the Government’s commitment to supporting both traditional industries such as carpets and handicrafts, and emerging sectors like technical textiles. The visit also included a handicrafts exhibition showcasing the rich cultural heritage and craftsmanship of local artisans. Overall, the visit reaffirmed the importance of sustainability, innovation, technological adoption, and collaborative stakeholder engagement in strengthening India’s textile and allied sectors and enhancing their global competitiveness. ***** MAM/VN (Release ID: 2243103) Visitor Counter : 483 Read this release in: Urdu , हिन्दी Ministry of Textiles Union Minister for Textiles Shri Giriraj Singh Visits Agra; Reviews Carpet, Handicrafts, Footwear and Technical Textiles Sectors Posted On: 20 MAR 2026 6:08PM by PIB Delhi The Union Minister for Textiles, Shri Giriraj Singh, undertook an official visit to Agra, Uttar Pradesh, to review the progress and potential of key sectors including carpets, handicrafts, footwear, and technical textiles. The visit focused on promoting sustainability, innovation, and enhancing India’s global competitiveness in these sectors. During the visit, the Minister toured a carpet manufacturing facility and reviewed sustainable production practices being adopted by the industry. These included the use of vegetable dyes, organic wool, and environmentally friendly processes, aligning the sector with international quality and sustainability standards. Shri Giriraj Singh also interacted with stakeholders from the carpet industry, including exporters and designers. Discussions centred on emerging global design trends, the growing importance of sustainable and alternative fibres such as banana fibre, and strengthening the global positioning of the “India Handmade” brand. The Minister emphasized the role of indigenous trend forecasting tools such as Vision NXT in enhancing design capabilities and improving export competitiveness. Subsequently, the Minister visited a footwear manufacturing unit, where he reviewed advancements in the sector. He noted that the integration of technical textiles is significantly improving product quality and export potential. He also appreciated the role of young professionals in driving innovation in the footwear industry. A stakeholder meeting was held with representatives from the footwear industry, technical textiles sector, and allied industries. Key issues discussed included: Leveraging technical textiles in footwear manufacturing Expanding the use of AI and advanced technologies in production and design Strengthening product innovation and design capabilities Facilitating the shift towards high-end, export-oriented footwear Developing a strategic roadmap to enhance India’s share in the global footwear market Promoting awareness and adoption of technical textiles in the sector The Minister highlighted that technical textiles will play a pivotal role in transforming India’s footwear industry into a high-value, design-driven, and globally competitive sector. He reiterated the Government’s commitment to supporting both traditional industries such as carpets and handicrafts, and emerging sectors like technical textiles. The visit also included a handicrafts exhibition showcasing the rich cultural heritage and craftsmanship of local artisans. Overall, the visit reaffirmed the importance of sustainability, innovation, technological adoption, and collaborative stakeholder engagement in strengthening India’s textile and allied sectors and enhancing their global competitiveness. ***** MAM/VN (Release ID: 2243103) The Union Minister for Textiles, Shri Giriraj Singh, undertook an official visit to Agra, Uttar Pradesh, to review the progress and potential of key sectors including carpets, handicrafts, footwear, and technical textiles. The visit focused on promoting sustainability, innovation, and enhancing India’s global competitiveness in these sectors. During the visit, the Minister toured a carpet manufacturing facility and reviewed sustainable production practices being adopted by the industry. These included the use of vegetable dyes, organic wool, and environmentally friendly processes, aligning the sector with international quality and sustainability standards. <img id="Picture_x0020_1" src="https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/userfiles/image/image001YSQL.jpg" style="height:400px; width:600px" /> <img id="Picture_x0020_2" src="https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/userfiles/image/image00236PQ.jpg" style="height:400px; width:600px" /> Shri Giriraj Singh also interacted with stakeholders from the carpet industry, including exporters and designers. Discussions centred on emerging global design trends, the growing importance of sustainable and alternative fibres such as banana fibre, and strengthening the global positioning of the “India Handmade” brand. The Minister emphasized the role of indigenous trend forecasting tools such as Vision NXT in enhancing design capabilities and improving export competitiveness. Subsequently, the Minister visited a footwear manufacturing unit, where he reviewed advancements in the sector. He noted that the integration of technical textiles is significantly improving product quality and export potential. He also appreciated the role of young professionals in driving innovation in the footwear industry. <img id="Picture_x0020_3" src="https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/userfiles/image/image003ADQE.jpg" style="height:400px; width:600px" /> A stakeholder meeting was held with representatives from the footwear industry, technical textiles sector, and allied industries. Key issues discussed included: <ul style="margin-left:40px"> <li style="text-align: justify;">Leveraging technical textiles in footwear manufacturing</li> <li style="text-align: justify;">Expanding the use of AI and advanced technologies in production and design</li> <li style="text-align: justify;">Strengthening product innovation and design capabilities</li> <li style="text-align: justify;">Facilitating the shift towards high-end, export-oriented footwear</li> <li style="text-align: justify;">Developing a strategic roadmap to enhance India’s share in the global footwear market</li> <li style="text-align: justify;">Promoting awareness and adoption of technical textiles in the sector</li> </ul> The Minister highlighted that technical textiles will play a pivotal role in transforming India’s footwear industry into a high-value, design-driven, and globally competitive sector. He reiterated the Government’s commitment to supporting both traditional industries such as carpets and handicrafts, and emerging sectors like technical textiles. The visit also included a handicrafts exhibition showcasing the rich cultural heritage and craftsmanship of local artisans. Overall, the visit reaffirmed the importance of sustainability, innovation, technological adoption, and collaborative stakeholder engagement in strengthening India’s textile and allied sectors and enhancing their global competitiveness.  ***** MAM/VN " /> var mPlayer = document.getElementById("background_music"); var mPlayAction = document.getElementById("playbutton"); var isPlaying = false; function playAudio() { mPlayer.play(); isPlaying = true; document.getElementById('stopA').style.display = "block"; document.getElementById('playA').style.display = "none"; } function pauseAudio() { mPlayer.pause(); isPlaying = false; document.getElementById('playA').style.display = "block"; document.getElementById('stopA').style.display = "none"; } //function HandleAudio() { // if (isPlaying == true) { // //Playing already Pause it // pauseAudio(); // } else { // //Play the music // playAudio(); // } //} var synth = window.speechSynthesis; function CleanHtml(html) { html = html.replace(/ /gi, ''); 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height: auto !important; } h2 { font-size: 20px !important; font-weight: 600 !important; } h3 { font-size: 18px !important; font-weight: 600 !important; } } /* === Film Roll Badge Styling(IFFI2025 countdown) === */ .film-roll-badge { position: absolute; top:82%; right: 20px; width: 230px; height: 70px; background: repeating-linear-gradient( to right, #9a2375 0px, #9a2375 18px, #6e2b8b 18px, #6e2b8b 36px ); border-top: 8px solid #9a2375; border-bottom: 8px solid #9a2375; border-radius: 8px; overflow: hidden; box-shadow: 0 4px 12px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4); animation: moveFilm 8s linear infinite; z-index: 10; } /* film sprocket holes */ .film-roll-badge::before, .film-roll-badge::after { content: ""; position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 10px; background: repeating-linear-gradient( to right, #9a2375 0px, #9a2375 10px, #fff 10px, #fff 20px ); left: 0; z-index: 2; } .film-roll-badge::before { top: -4px; } .film-roll-badge::after { bottom: -4px; } .film-roll-inner { position: relative; height: 100%; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center; animation: flicker 2s infinite ease-in-out; } .countdown-text { font-size: 1.3rem; font-weight: 700; color: #fff; text-shadow: 0 0 6px rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.4), 0 0 10px #000; white-space: nowrap; } /* === Animations === */ @keyframes moveFilm { 0% { background-position: 0 0; } 100% { background-position: 120px 0; } } @keyframes flicker { 0%, 100% { opacity: 1; } 50% { opacity: 0.9; } 25% { opacity: 0.95; } 75% { opacity: 0.85; } } /* === Responsive Adjustments === */ @media (max-width: 1500px) { .film-roll-badge { top: 68%; right: 18px; /* width: 220px; */ height: 65px; font-size: 0.85rem; } .press-section { margin-top: 35px; } } @media (max-width: 992px) { .film-roll-badge { top: 52%; right: 10px; width: 200px; height: 60px; } } @media (max-width: 768px) { .film-roll-badge { top: 56%; right: 10px; width: 124px; height: 55px; } .countdown-text { font-size: 0.9rem; } } @media (max-width: 576px) { .film-roll-badge { top: 59%; 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Union Minister for Textiles Shri Giriraj Singh Visits Agra; Reviews Carpet, Handicrafts, Footwear and Technical Textiles Sectors

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