By — Dilip Guha  

The sprawling halls of Bharat Mandapam have been transformed into a vibrant tapestry of innovation, heritage, and global ambition as Bharat Tex 2026 cements India’s position as the world’s premier textile sourcing and innovation hub.

Over three days, the expo has drawn 95,000 business visitors, 11,315 buyers from 138 countries, and catalysed investment commitments worth ₹14,300 crore, underscoring unprecedented confidence in India’s textile ecosystem. With 28,500 B2B meetings and more than 30 MoUs signed by states including Karnataka, Bihar, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh, the event has become a powerful engine of decentralised growth. The world’s largest integrated textile event has recorded exceptionally high visitor footfall, vibrant business activity, extensive buyer-seller engagements, and dynamic knowledge exchange, reaffirming India’s emergence as a trusted global sourcing, manufacturing, innovation, and investment destination for textiles.

The atmosphere has been electric: from bustling pavilions showcasing India’s apparel giants and heritage crafts to international delegations from the US, EU, Japan, and beyond. The Eco-Stitch Sustainability Hub spotlighted circularity and responsible sourcing. At the same time, the Sanrachna Hackathon revealed the ingenuity of young innovators with solutions ranging from protective garments for farmers to advanced wound-care textiles.

A landmark moment came with the Letter of Intent between Bharat Tex Trade Federation and Première Vision Paris, opening new pathways for India–EU collaboration in sustainable sourcing and design intelligence. Designers Rahul Mishra and Vaishali Shadangule reminded audiences that India’s handlooms and crafts are not just heritage but powerful differentiators in global markets.

Union Minister of Textiles Shri Giriraj Singh captured the spirit of the event, declaring: “Artisans Bharat ki punji hain” – India’s artisans are the nation’s true capital. His call to empower weavers and craftsmen resonated across sessions on brand-building, e-commerce, and global competitiveness.

From luxury brands like Sabyasachi and Tarun Tahiliani to mass-market leaders such as Van Heusen and Arrow, the Brands of India Pavilion showcased the breadth of India’s fashion ecosystem. Meanwhile, sustainability remained a defining theme, with discussions on organic cotton pricing, circular supply chains, and next-generation fibres like wheat-straw textiles.

As the International Apparel Federation convened its board meeting alongside the expo, the message was clear: India is not only a manufacturing powerhouse but also a design innovator and sustainability leader. With exports already crossing ₹3.16 lakh crore in 2025–26 and a target of ₹9 lakh crore by 2030, Bharat Tex 2026 has set the stage for India’s textile sector to redefine global growth.

The expo’s legacy will be remembered not just in numbers, but in the stories of artisans, entrepreneurs, and innovators who stitched together a vision of India as the world’s textile capital.

– India’s fashion and apparel industry is at a “historic inflexion point,” declared Union Minister of Textiles Shri Giriraj Singh at Bharat Tex 2026, as the country moves beyond its traditional manufacturing strengths toward global recognition for design innovation, sustainability, and cultural distinctiveness.

“It’s an opportune moment for Indian brands, designers, and artisans to position themselves as leading voices in the global arena… Artisans Bharat ki punji hain,” Singh emphasised, underscoring that India’s weavers and craftsmen remain the nation’s greatest strength.

The session “Indian Brands, Global Ambitions: Redefining Retail Growth Beyond Borders” brought together over 20 panellists from leading brands and platforms, including PDS, Welspun World, Neytt Homes, Pashmina.com, ExpoBazaar, and Trident. Discussions centred on building strong brand identities, scaling omnichannel capabilities, and navigating evolving consumer and regulatory landscapes as India eyes exports of ₹9 lakh crore by 2030, up from ₹3.16 lakh crore in 2025–26.

Designers offered powerful testimonies of craft and resilience. Vaishali Shadangule, whose initiative now empowers young women artisans, said: “If you want to capture the global market, you have to showcase the strengths of Indian weaves.” Rahul Mishra added: “Authenticity itself is a source of differentiation. Handmade crafts and handlooms are where the soul of India is, especially in the age of AI.”

Industry leaders echoed the urgency of brand creation and sustainability. Srinidhi Kalvapudi, Amazon Global Selling, remarked: “India should not only export more but also be remembered more. Building brands is no longer optional; it is existential.” Nand Kishore Chaudhary of Jaipur Rugs reinforced the power of storytelling: “The deeper a brand draws from its roots, the harder it becomes for competitors to replicate.”

Manufacturers and officials stressed the need for cluster development, supply chain transparency, and stronger designer houses. Dr Anil Rajvanshi of Reliance Industries praised government efforts toward integrated ecosystems, while Shri Venkatesalu Palaniswamy of Trent urged consistency in quality and delivery to build a global identity.

Senior officials added weight to the vision. Shri Jawed Ashraf (IFS), Chairman, ITPO, noted: “Made in India must become synonymous with high standards.” Smt. Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, emphasised that brand‑building is a long‑term endeavour requiring shared infrastructure and greater e‑commerce visibility.

The session concluded with a collective call for collaboration between government and industry to position Indian brands as trusted, high‑quality, and internationally recognisable. With heritage, sustainability, and innovation as its pillars, Bharat Tex 2026 showcased how India is weaving not just textiles but a global identity.

Sustainability, Circularity and Global Trade Take Centre Stage

The third day of Bharat Tex 2026 spotlighted India’s textile sector as a driver of sustainable growth, with policymakers, industry leaders, investors, and global Organisations converging for discussions on circularity, responsible sourcing, financing, and future‑ready skills.

A key highlight was the participation of Dr. Mohan Yadav, Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, who toured the state pavilion and underscored its textile heritage and investment potential. “Madhya Pradesh has the strengths to attract investment, expand manufacturing, and generate employment,” he said during the state session.

Sustainability and circularity remained central to the programme. The United Nations Development Programme session on the India Sustainable Textile Mark featured Ms. Nalini Shekar, Co-Founder of Hasiru Dala, is focused on establishing a credible social and environmental benchmark for Indian textiles and apparel. The session “Wheat Straw to Wardrobes” featured Dr Ravinder Tuteja, Material Program Lead, H&M, and explored the development of next-generation textile fibres from agricultural residue. The roundtable “Circular Textile: From Dialogue to Deployment”, featuring Shri Archish Kansal, Director, Respun, focused on translating circularity commitments into practical and scalable solutions. The discussion “Fair Commodity Pricing: An Industry Model for an Equitable and Resilient Organic Cotton Value Chain” featured Shri Jagjeet Singh Kandal, Country Director, India, IDH India Hub Private Limited, and Ms Danique Lodewijks, Sustainable Raw Materials Manager, Bestseller. The session underlined the need for transparent pricing, protection of farmer interests and long-term partnerships across the organic cotton value chain. The Panel “Financing a Globally Competitive, Sustainable, Inclusive Supply Chain”, featuring Shri Aakash Shah, Partner, Peak Sustainability Ventures, examined financing mechanisms for resilient and responsible textile supply chains.  

Global brands joined the Better Cotton Initiative roundtable, with representatives from Marks & Spencer, IKEA, and Shahi Exports highlighting traceability and collaboration. Investor voices, including the Impact Investors Council, examined clean technologies and circular business models.

Digital expansion was also in focus. Amazon’s Pulkit Nanda noted: “Export preparedness and digital marketplaces can help Indian textile enterprises reach global customers.” A fireside chat with Dr M. Beena, IAS, and historian Priyambada Jayakumar reflected on how to connect India’s handloom heritage with contemporary markets.

The day concluded with the Sustainability Conclave, where Aarti Mohan of Sattva Consulting consolidated key insights and urged coordinated action across finance, sourcing, technology, and skills.

The day’s discussions featured leading voices from industry, international organisations and sustainability institutions.  The National Institute of Fashion Technology-led discussion “Indian Trends to Global Taste: Forecasting for Billion Consumers (VisionNxt)” featured Shri Nand Kishore Chaudhary, Chairman, Jaipur Rugs Company Private Limited, and Shri Riccardo Rami, Founder, Riccardo Rami Studio, Italy. The discussion highlighted India’s potential to shape global fashion trends by combining consumer insights, indigenous knowledge and contemporary design.

From debates on why fabric players struggle to integrate into garmenting, to masterclasses on chemical management frameworks, the third day of Bharat Tex 2026 reinforced India’s commitment to building a competitive, inclusive, and environmentally responsible textile sector—one that threads heritage with innovation for global leadership.

With bustling exhibition halls, packed conference sessions, vibrant networking opportunities, and strong business engagement throughout the venue, Bharat Tex 2026 continues to reinforce India’s vision of becoming the world’s preferred destination for textile manufacturing, sourcing, innovation and responsible growth while further strengthening the country’s leadership in the global textile and apparel value chain.

Photo 2: Shri Giriraj Singh, Union Minister of Textiles, Government of India, joins dignitaries, international experts and industry representatives for the unveiling of the VisionNxt trend publication during the session “Indian Trends to Global Taste: Forecasting for Billion Consumers” at Bharat Tex 2026.

Photo 1: Shri Giriraj Singh, Union Minister of Textiles, Government of India, and Dr Mohan Yadav, Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, during the Madhya Pradesh State Session at Bharat Tex 2026.

Photo 3: The United Nations Development Programme session on the India Sustainable Textile Mark featured Ms Nalini Shekar, Co-Founder, Hasiru Dala, and focused on establishing a credible social and environmental benchmark for Indian textiles and apparel.