National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM)

The National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM) is a strategic initiative launched by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aimed at positioning India as a global leader in technical textiles. Approved for a four-year period from FY 2020-21 to 2023-24, the mission aligns with the Make in India initiative and has an allocated budget of Rs. 1,480 crore.

Key Objectives of NTTM:

1. Global Leadership in Technical Textiles:

   • The mission aims to make India a global leader in the technical textiles sector by boosting both domestic production and exports.

2. Increase Penetration in Domestic Market:

   • India's current penetration level of technical textiles is low (5-10%) compared to advanced countries (30-70%). NTTM seeks to increase this penetration significantly.

3. Boosting Global Market Share:

   • The goal is to expand India's share in the global technical textiles market.

4. Support Strategic Sectors:

   • The mission emphasizes the use of technical textiles in flagship programs such as agriculture, infrastructure, health, and defense sectors.

Components of NTTM:

The mission is divided into four primary components:

1. Component I: Research, Innovation, and Development:

   • Focuses on fundamental and application-based research in areas like carbon fiber, aramid fiber, biodegradable textiles, and more.
   • A budget of Rs. 1,000 crore is allocated for this component.
   • Research will be conducted in institutions like CSIR laboratories, IITs, ICAR, DRDO, etc.

2. Component II: Promotion and Market Development:

   • Aims to develop the domestic technical textiles market, targeting a 15-20% growth rate per annum to reach a market size of $40-50 billion by 2024.
   • Promotes the sector through international collaborations and investment promotion.

3. Component III: Export Promotion:

   • Current technical textile exports stand at Rs. 14,000 crore per annum. The mission aims to increase this to Rs. 20,000 crore by 2021-22.
   • It targets an annual export growth rate of 10%.

4. Component IV: Education, Training, and Skill Development:

   • Seeks to build highly skilled manpower by promoting technical education in textiles at the engineering level.
   • Focuses on skill development to meet the technological demands of the industry.

Technical Textiles – An Overview:

Technical textiles are textile products manufactured for technical performance rather than aesthetic purposes. They have applications in various fields like agriculture, infrastructure, health, defense, and sports. India currently holds around 6% of the global technical textiles market.

There are 12 categories of technical textiles based on their application:

1. Agrotech (agriculture)
2. Buildtech (building)
3. Clothtech (clothing)
4. Geotech (geotechnical)
5. Hometech (home textiles)
6. Indutech (industrial)
7. Mobiltech (mobility)
8. Meditech (medical)
9. Protech (protection)
10. Sportstech (sports)
11. Oekotech (environmental)
12. Packtech (packaging)

Benefits of NTTM:

• Boosts Research and Innovation: Encourages cutting-edge R&D in the field of textiles, creating new opportunities for technological advancements.
• Economic Growth: By increasing domestic production and exports, the mission is set to boost India's economy significantly.
• Skill Development: It will create a highly skilled workforce to meet the growing needs of the technical textiles sector.
• Strengthened Infrastructure: Promotes the use of technical textiles in key infrastructure projects, enhancing the overall efficiency and durability of public works.

Through the National Technical Textiles Mission, India aims to position itself as a global leader in technical textiles, promoting innovation, boosting economic growth, and creating a skilled workforce to meet the demands of this fast-growing sector.