CONFEDERATION OF INDIAN TEXTILE INDUSTRY (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy)

Context: The Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) has urged the government to ensure availability of cotton and manmade fibre (MMF) at internationally-competitive prices to propel the Indian textile industry towards the target of $350 billion by 2030.

Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI)

• About: It is the sole National Association representing the entire Textile and Clothing Industry, inclusive of domestic and exporting units, alongside regional and sectoral associations, spanning from farms to garments and textile machinery.
• International Collaborations: CITI has signed Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with Thirteen major International Textile Associations, aimed at fostering textiles trade and investment globally.
• Interface with Government: Serving as a crucial interface between the Government of India and the industry, CITI aids in policy formulation, providing policy inputs, supporting the textile and clothing sector, association, capacity building, and awareness creation to bolster industry growth.
• Skill Development: CITI, as a founding member of the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and a promoter of the Textile Sector Skill Council, plays a pioneering role in augmenting the availability of skilled workforce for the sector.
• Technological Advancements: As a founding member of the Indian Textile Machinery Exhibition (ITME) Society, CITI contributes significantly to technological advancements and enhancements within the textile sector.

Textile Sector in India

• Global Textile Production: India holds the second position in textile production.
• China is a global leader in textiles.
• Exporting Textile Goods: India is also the world's second-largest textile exporter.
• Employment Generation: Second-largest job provider, following agriculture.
• Current Status: The textile and apparel sector contributes approximately 4% to global trade, constituting 7% of industry output by value as of 2023, and contributes about 2% to the GDP, amounting to approximately $60 billion.

o Direct employment in the sector stands at around 35 million people.

o With an expected Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 10% from 2019-20, the industry is projected to reach US$ 190 billion by 2025-26.

o India holds a 4% share in the global trade of textiles and apparel.

o As the world's second-largest producer of silk, India accounts for 95% of all hand-woven cloth production.