Textiles export push gets major fillip in Kashmir

Srinagar, May 15: In a major initiative aimed at aligning Jammu & Kashmir’s traditional strengths with India’s ambitious textile export vision, the Handicrafts and Handloom Department, Kashmir, under the Industries & Commerce Department, in collaboration with the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, organized a mega two-day Consultative Workshop on “Textiles for Global Markets: Strategy for Achieving USD 100 Billion Exports by 2030” at SKICC, Srinagar.
The workshop brought together policymakers, exporters, industry leaders, artisans, entrepreneurs, Export Promotion Councils (EPCs), DGFT representatives and sectoral stakeholders to deliberate on strategies for enhancing exports, strengthening value chains and positioning local products in global markets under the broader “Local to Global” framework.
On Day-2, Commissioner Secretary, Industries and Commerce attended the consultative session and interacted extensively with participating stakeholders. He held detailed deliberations on issues concerning export promotion, market access, value chain strengthening and opportunities for enhancing Jammu & Kashmir’s presence in global textile markets. During the interaction, he highlighted the immense potential of the region’s handicrafts and handloom sector and emphasized focused interventions in branding, quality enhancement and export competitiveness.
The two-day programme was structured around focused policy consultations under export planning frameworks. Day-1 featured discussions under the District Export Action Plan (DEAP) framework with emphasis on identifying district-specific export strengths and sectoral opportunities. Day-2 focused on the State/UT Export Action Plan (SEAP) through wider consultations on policy interventions and export-oriented growth strategies for the textile sector.
During the deliberations, it was highlighted that the Ministry of Textiles has designated Budgam and Baramulla as Aspirational Districts, while Srinagar has been identified as a Champion District, recognizing the significant textile and handicraft potential of these districts and paving the way for focused interventions, infrastructure support and export promotion initiatives.
Participants held detailed discussions on major themes including export competitiveness, Foreign Trade Policy 2023, District Export Hub initiatives, Free Trade Agreements, sustainability and ESG frameworks, cluster development models and strengthening linkages between artisans, producers and international markets.
Officials informed that recommendations emerging from the consultations would feed into the National Consultative Summit scheduled in June 2026, where inputs from States and Union Territories shall contribute towards formulation of a comprehensive national strategy and roadmap for achieving the target of USD 100 Billion textile exports by 2030.
The workshop is expected to provide a significant impetus to Jammu & Kashmir’s export ecosystem and further strengthen efforts towards integrating the region’s globally renowned handicrafts and textile products into international value chains. (KNO)