Vision 2030 for textile industry

In the Union Budget 2025-26, Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Ms. Nirmala Sitharaman announced a five-year ‘Mission for Cotton Productivity’ aimed at enhancing cotton productivity and quality, fostering innovation, and reinforcing the entire textile value chain in alignment with Vision 2030. The Department of Agricultural Research & Education (DARE) serves as the central agency for executing the Mission, with the Ministry of Textiles as a significant collaborator. The program seeks to enhance cotton output by implementing strategic measures, such as research and extension efforts in all states that cultivate cotton. A primary emphasis will be on creating cotton varieties that are climate-resilient, pest-resistant, and high-yielding, such as Extra Long Staple (ELS) cotton, through the use of advanced breeding and biotechnology methods. A unique initiative on cotton named ‘Targeting technologies to agro-ecological zones – large-scale demonstration of best practices to enhance cotton productivity’ has been carried out by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) - Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR), Nagpur. The initiative, spanning eight key cotton-producing states, is being executed under the National Food Security and Nutrition Mission (NFSNM) for FY24, FY25, and continues into FY26, with a total budget of Rs. 6,03,23,500 (US$ 698,614). The objective is to offer cotton farmers cutting-edge scientific and technological assistance to achieve increased productivity, improved fibre quality, and enhanced resilience to climate and pest-related challenges. In accordance with the government’s unified 5F vision, which incorporates Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign, the initiative aims to increase the earnings of cotton farmers, guarantee a consistent supply of quality cotton, and rejuvenate India’s traditional textile industry to boost its competitiveness worldwide.