The thread and weave if reforming India's textiles industry

In 2024, raw materials for MMFs — such as polyester and viscose — were significantly costlier in India by about 20 percent compared to our competitors like Bangladesh, China and Vietnam. (Illustration: C R Sasikumar) India has set an ambitious target to elevate its textile and apparel (T&A) exports from $34.8 billion in 2023-24 to an eye-popping $100 billion by 2030. This raises a critical question — is this lofty ambition grounded in reality or is it just a daydream? If we look at the long-term trends, India's T&A exports have grown steadily from $11.5 billion in FY2001 to $34.8…