Launched in 2020 by India’s Ministry of Textiles, the National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM) is strategically designed to position India as a global leader in technical textiles—functional fabrics with diverse applications across industries like automobiles, civil engineering, agriculture, healthcare, and personal protection. The mission is structured around four pivotal components: Research, Innovation, and Development; Promotion and Market Development; Export Promotion; and Education, Training, and Skill Development.
The Research, Innovation, and Development pillar is focused on advancing fibre-level and application-based research in critical areas such as geotextiles, agro-textiles, medical textiles, sports textiles, and mobile textiles. This also includes biodegradable technical textiles and the development of indigenous machinery.
Meanwhile, the Promotion and Market Development component is dedicated to increasing domestic consumption by driving awareness and encouraging sector-wide adoption. The Export Promotion segment aims to enhance the global footprint of India’s technical textiles. Education, Training, and Skill Development works to foster technical education at higher engineering and technology levels, particularly in areas like engineering, medical, agriculture, aquaculture, and dairy applications.
Through these initiatives, NTTM is rapidly advancing India’s technical textiles sector, driving innovation, boosting exports, and cultivating a highly skilled workforce.
In an exclusive conversation with The Interview World during the 2nd Conference of Technical Textiles, organized by PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), Ashok Malhotra, Mission Director of NTTM, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, sheds light on the mission’s latest efforts to indigenize technical textiles in India. He discusses the industries offering the most promising opportunities, reveals the most exciting use cases developed by companies and startups under the NTTM umbrella, and shares his vision for the future of technical textiles in India. Here are the key takeaways from his insightful conversation.
Q: Could you elaborate on the latest initiatives by the National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM) to achieve complete indigenization of technical textiles in India?
A: NTTM is pioneering a seamless connection between research and industry. Traditionally, research takes place in labs—concepts are approved, prototypes are built, and interest remains academic. However, without industry integration, these innovations often fail to reach commercialization.
To bridge this gap, NTTM has made it mandatory for every project to have an industry partner from the outset. Research will no longer be driven by individual academic curiosity but by real-world industry needs. This shift ensures that every project is not just theoretical but commercially viable and ready for adoption.
Another critical challenge researchers face is the fear of intellectual property theft. To address this, NTTM has embedded intellectual property rights (IPR) protection into the framework. Both the researcher and the partnering industry receive legal safeguards, ensuring their contributions remain secure. Furthermore, the level of protection aligns with the industry’s investment and co-investment in the research, fostering trust and collaboration.
By implementing these strategic measures, NTTM is elevating research from an academic pursuit to a commercially scalable enterprise, empowering both researchers and industry stakeholders to drive meaningful innovation.
Q: Which industries present the most promising opportunities for technical textiles, and which sector—defence, medical, or others—is attracting the highest investment and innovation?
A: A few years ago, India was only beginning to explore technical textiles. Today, the landscape has transformed. With strong government backing and a significant budget allocation, the sector is rapidly advancing.
Medical textiles, with immense potential, are now taking off in India. Geotextiles, on the other hand, have already seen remarkable growth. We are no longer just adopting geotextiles—we are developing and deploying our own, integrating them into infrastructure at a national scale. This marks a major leap forward.
Industrial textiles represent another critical area. India continues to import key components like conveyor belts, tire cord fabric, and seat belt fabric. However, we are now pushing for domestic production to reduce dependency and strengthen our manufacturing base.
Sustainability and recyclability remain pressing concerns. India lags in this domain because sustainability measures are currently optional, not mandatory. However, we are steadily building an ecosystem where sustainability becomes a necessity, not a choice. Soon, every manufacturer will need to adopt a product lifecycle approach, detailing the environmental impact and disposal of their products.
Looking ahead, sustainable and biodegradable materials will drive the next wave of growth, alongside medical textiles. Carbon fibre, crucial for space applications and atomic research, remains a weak link. India still relies on imports, but our goal is clear—we must achieve self-sufficiency in carbon fibre production.
This is the next frontier for India’s technical textile revolution.
Q: What is the most exciting use case developed by companies or startups operating under the aegis of NTTM?
A: One remarkable project I want to highlight is the circular weaving machine for geotextiles, developed by the Synthetic & Art Silk Mills’ Research Association (SASMIRA). This innovation revolutionizes fabric construction for concrete columns. The machine produces a seamless, tubular fabric that wraps directly around columns—no stitching, no additional processing. This design reduces steel usage while enhancing structural strength and eliminating corrosion risks.
It stands as a perfect example of geotextile innovation under NTTM. The machine can produce fabric with a 1000 mm diameter and a GSM of up to 1000, granted with the Patent Number 506705. It supports various yarns and fabric constructions, making it adaptable for both low-end and high-end applications. This breakthrough exemplifies how technical textiles are shaping the future of engineering and infrastructure.
Q: What is your vision for NTTM over the next 5–10 years, and where do you envision its growth and impact?
A: For me, it’s not just about NTTM—it’s about India. India must and will emerge as a global leader in the technical textile industry. We won’t just rely on our own materials or focus solely on import substitution. We are stepping onto the global stage as a major exporter. With the brilliance of Indian researchers and innovators, we are poised to lead this industry worldwide.
