Bharat Tex 2026 helping MSMEs, small entrepreneurs enter export markets: Giriraj Singh

Bharat Tex 2026, India’s largest global textile event, is helping small entrepreneurs enter the export markets, Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh said while inaugurating the event in New Delhi on Tuesday.

“Even small-scale entrepreneurs who may not have ever even thought of exporting are present here today. I am expecting that this time we will break all records in terms of the number of exporters and buyers visiting,” he said.

More than 90% of the exhibitors at the Bharat Tex are micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), a feature Singh described as “unique in itself.” He said the government has identified 550 districts across the country as export-textile hubs, with almost every state and district now represented. “For me, this is one of the biggest achievements. For the first time, everything from handloom to handicrafts, textiles, and garments is getting exported from these 550 districts, whether in big or small quantities,” he said.


The exhibition, which opened on Tuesday and will run until Friday (July 17) at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, aims to bring together the entire spectrum of India’s textile industry under one roof, positioning itself as a global platform for the country’s textile ecosystem.

With buyers from over 130 countries attending the event and more than 60,000 exhibitors, the minister said he expects the fair to be stellar in its scope and scale.

Highlighting India’s cluster strengths, Singh said that regions like Tiruppur, Ichalkaranji, Surat, and Panipat show India’s prowess in textiles in good measure. “Earlier Surat had more expertise in synthetics, but now they also do garment production. Earlier only a couple of names could be thought of in textiles, but this is not the case now. Due to improved ease of doing business measures, such clusters have been able to make a remarkable contribution to India,” he said.

Singh said that the scrapped cotton import duty, among other measures, has contributed to progress in the sector. “We are aiming for $350 billion in textiles by 2030-2031—$100 billion in exports and $250 billion for the domestic market. The domestic market is really big and flexible, as no containers go back; all goods are sold. The scale of the market is huge,” he added.

The minister also spoke about technical textiles. “It is a very important sector. For instance, hygiene products like diapers and sanitary napkins. Their market is growing rapidly. Earlier raw material for them used to be imported, but now imports have decreased. We have forayed into a lot of niche items and are expanding our presence in the sector. In FIBC (Flexible Intermediate Bulk Containers), we are exporting more than China. The world is going towards sustainable, new-age fibre. India will take on a significant part in that shift,” he said.

Singh also emphasised that it is not just buyers attending the exhibition but also investors keenly looking at India. “Many Taiwanese and other international companies are exploring investments in India.”

The third edition of Bharat Tex boasts over 100 knowledge sessions, including panel discussions, masterclasses and state sessions. Covering themes such as trade and investment, sustainability, Industry 5.0, innovation, technical textiles, fashion, policy and global sourcing, these sessions are designed to strengthen export competitiveness, support MSMEs, and address emerging global market trends.