New Delhi: The European Union and India’s Ministry of Textiles launch seven projects to enhance the textile sector across nine states, aiming to benefit 35,000 individuals, empower 200,000 women, and promote sustainability alongside economic growth and cultural heritage preservation.
The European Union (EU) has collaborated with India’s Ministry of Textiles to launch seven new projects aimed at enhancing the country’s textile and handicraft sector. The unveiling of these initiatives took place on the sidelines of Bharat Tex, an event dedicated to the textile industry, held on Saturday. The EU delegation to India outlined that these projects are geared towards fostering inclusive growth, promoting resource efficiency, and ensuring sustainability within the Indian textile landscape, while also focusing on driving livelihoods and the economic empowerment of women.
Set to be implemented across nine Indian states—Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, and Haryana—the projects are projected to directly benefit around 35,000 individuals. Among these, 15,000 are expected to be micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), alongside 5,000 artisans and 15,000 farmer-producers. The expected timeline for these initiatives ranges from three to five years, with a key focus on supporting local communities and industries.
The press release highlighted that these projects will also strive to economically empower up to 200,000 women, thereby contributing to a more sustainable and inclusive textile ecosystem. The EU’s commitment to these efforts is positioned as an extension of its existing initiatives on sustainability and the circular economy in collaboration with India, aligning with the Ministry of Textiles’ “Sustainable Bharat Mission for Textiles.”
Furthermore, the funding for these projects is a part of the EU’s Global Gateway Strategy and complements the ongoing EU-India Resource Efficiency Circular Economy initiative. This initiative is co-funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUV) and is being executed alongside India’s Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, with support from the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).
The projects, which are to be rolled out in cooperation with government agencies and private sector partners, aim to safeguard Indian cultural heritage in textiles while promoting economic self-sufficiency through enhanced innovation, competitiveness, and stronger market linkages.
Source: Noah Wire Services
