Indian technical textiles market to be $37 Bn by 2020: FICCI & TECHNOPAK report
Growth of technical textiles hindered by lack of standards, R&D and inadequate regulations

"Industry is able not only to cater to the needs of the domestic market but also to become a major exporter of Technical Textile products.

Some of the issues hindering the growth of Technical Textiles in India are:

• Lack of investment
• Lack of high quality R&D work
• Lack of database in Technical Textile sector
• Lack of mandatory rules for the usage of Technical Textile products
• Lack of certification agencies
• Lack of design standards and guidelines
• Lack of skilled manpower, etc.

The FICCI-Technopak paper has recommended the following steps to the Government to foster the growth of Technical Textiles:

• Increase awareness among consumers about Technical Textile products and their advantages such as better hygiene; cost effectiveness, protective usage etc.
• Research and development centres focussed on Technical Textiles must be established by Government in collaboration with the industry
• Introduce Technical Textile specific courses and specializations in the curriculum of various technical streams like Textile, Mechanical, and Chemical Engineering courses. This will result in the increased availability of skilled manpower for Technical Textiles.
• Frame rules for mandatory usage of Technical Textiles, such as fire-retardant fabric in cinema halls etc., seat belts and airbags in cars, to create urgency among both manufacturers and consumers to make use of these products.
• Provide subsidies to poor consumers e.g., farmers to buy Agrotech products.
• Establish guidelines and standards for the usage and manufacturing of products especially Meditech, Geotech and Buildtech where the need to follow standards is necessary for correct usage.

The FICCI-Technopak paper notes that along with the encouragement from the Government, the Indian Industry has to play a large role in fostering the growth of the industry. Some of the recommendations to the industry are:

• Strive for Joint Ventures and strategic alliances with international companies for transfer of technology and expertise in this sector.
• Understand customer needs and cater to the fast growing domestic demand for Technical Textile products
• Invest in large scale projects to gain advantages of economies o f scale
• Investment in marketing and R & D
• Accent on supply chain effectiveness