India and France are strategically located resident powers and key partners with vital stakes in the Indo Pacific region. The Indo-French partnership in the Indian ocean has become an important focus of our bilateral relations. In 2018, India and France agreed on a ‘Joint Strategic Vision of India-France Cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region’. We are now ready to extend our joint efforts to the Pacific.
Our two countries believe in a free, open, inclusive, secure and peaceful Indo Pacific region. Our cooperation seeks to secure our own economic and security interests; ensure equal and free access to global commons; build partnerships of prosperity and sustainability in the region; advance the rule of international law; and, working with others in the region and beyond, build a balanced and stable order in the region, with respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Prime Minister Modi’s vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and President Macron’s vision of security and cooperation outlined in the Indo Pacific Strategy of France are very much aligned. Our cooperation is comprehensive and covers defence, security, economic, connectivity, infrastructure, sustainability and human centric development.
Our bilateral cooperation advances our mutual security and supports peace and stability in the Indo Pacific region. Our cooperation extends from seabed to space. We will continue to deepen our exchanges, cooperate on situational and domain awareness, intensify maritime cooperation across the region such as the one we conduct in the South West Indian Ocean Region in liaison with partner countries in the region. We will also increase militaries’ naval visits and develop defence industrial capabilities in India and jointly support the needs of other countries. We will continue to develop our comprehensive cooperation including the French overseas territories of La Reunion, New Caledonia and French Polynesia and in coordination with other countries in the region and beyond.
We will continue to work together to extend development cooperation to countries in the region, including in Africa, the Indian Ocean Region, South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific. We will strengthen our plurilateral arrangements with Australia and UAE and build new ones in the region. We will strengthen our cooperation in regional forums such as Indian Ocean Rim Association, Indian Ocean Naval Symposium, the Indian Ocean Commission, Djibouti Code of Conduct, the ADMM+ and ARF.
We will strengthen maritime security coordination through IFC-IOR in India, EMASoH in UAE and Atalanta, RCOC in Seychelles, RMIFC in Madagascar and ReCAAP in Singapore. France also supports India’s willingness to join Combined Maritime Forces (CMF).
We will work together to advance the objectives of Indo Pacific Oceans Initiative which aims to address common challenges in the region through collaborative actions under its seven pillars. Under France’s lead on the Maritime Resources pillar, we will work together to implement practical projects, in synergy with, and under, the various bilateral, regional and global initiatives by the two sides, for creating an ecosystem for sustainable development of maritime resources and combatting activities like IUU fishing.
India and France launched the International Solar Alliance and are committed to the deployment of renewable energies in the region. They are also proposing that start-ups in the region benefit from the Solar X Challenge project.
India and France are continuing to implement the Indo-Pacific Parks Partnership and are supporting a mangrove conservation initiative aimed at the Pacific States in particular.
The two sides will work on finalizing the India-France Indo-Pacific Triangular Development Cooperation Fund. Our partnership in the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure will help build a more resilient and sustainable future for the people of the region, especially in the small island states. Furthermore, France invites India to join the KIWA initiative, a multi-donor program designed to strengthen resilience to climate change and the preservation of biodiversity in the Pacific through simplified financial support for concrete projects.
India and France will work to set up the Indo-French Health Campus for the Indo-Pacific, with the aim of making it a regional magnet for research and academia. Building on the experience in the Indian ocean, we may consider to open the Campus to Pacific Island Nationals.
We believe that India-France partnership will be a crucial pillar of the inter-connected and intersecting arrangements in Indo Pacific region and indispensable for a peaceful and prosperous future for the Indo Pacific region.
Bharat Tex is becoming a strong platform for engagement, collaboration and partnership for the policymakers, CEOs and industry leaders from across the world: PM
Bharat Tex showcases the cultural diversity of India through our traditional garments: PM
India saw a 7% increase in textile and apparel exports last year, and is currently ranked the sixth-largest exporter of textiles and apparels in the world: PM
Any sector excels when it has a skilled workforce and skill plays a crucial role in the textile industry: PM
It is important to maintain the authenticity of handloom craftsmanship in the age of technology: PM
World is adopting the vision of Fashion for Environment and Empowerment, and India can lead the way in this regard: PM
India's textile industry can turn ‘Fast Fashion Waste’ into an opportunity, leveraging the country's diverse traditional skills in textile recycling and up-cycling: PM
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressed the Bharat Tex 2025 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi today. He also took a walkthrough of the exhibition showcased on the occasion. Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister welcomed everyone to Bharat Tex 2025 and remarked that today Bharat Mandapam was witnessing the 2nd edition of Bharat Tex. He added that the event gave a glimpse of our heritage as well as the prospects of Viksit Bharat, which was a matter of pride for India. “Bharat Tex is now becoming a mega global textile event”, remarked Shri Modi. He added that all the twelve communities related to the spectrum of the value chain were part of the event this time. He further noted that there were exhibitions of accessories, garments, machineries, chemicals and dyes as well. The Prime Minister highlighted that Bharat Tex was becoming a strong platform for engagement, collaboration and partnership for the policymakers, CEOs and industry leaders from across the world. He lauded the efforts of all the stakeholders involved in the organization of the event.
“More than 120 countries are participating in the Bharat Tex today”, said Shri Modi. He added that this meant that every exhibitor had the exposure to more than 120 countries, giving them the opportunity to expand their business from local to global. He added that those entrepreneurs in search of new markets were getting a good exposure of the cultural needs of various global markets. Recalling his visit to the exhibition at the event, the Prime Minister remarked that he visited many stalls and interacted with entrepreneurs. He also highlighted that many participants shared their experiences of joining Bharat Tex last year. They reported gaining new buyers on a large scale and expanding their business. The Prime Minister remarked that this event is significantly boosting investments, exports, and overall growth in the textile sector. Shri Modi urged the banking sector to cater to the needs of the entrepreneurs from the textile sector to help expand their business thereby creating employment and opportunities.
“Bharat Tex showcases the cultural diversity of India through our traditional garments”, remarked the Prime Minister. He added that from east to west, north to south, India has a vast range of traditional attire. He highlighted various types of garments, such as Lucknowi chikankari, bandhani from Rajasthan and Gujarat, patola from Gujarat, Banarasi silk from Varanasi, Kanjivaram silk from the south, and pashmina from Jammu and Kashmir. The Prime Minister emphasized that this is the right time for such events to promote the diversity and uniqueness of our textile industry, fostering its growth.
Highlighting that last year he discussed five factors for the textile industry: farm, fiber, fabric, fashion, and foreign, Shri Modi remarked that this vision is becoming a mission for India, opening new growth avenues for farmers, weavers, designers, and traders. “India saw a 7% increase in textile and apparel exports last year, and now ranks as the sixth-largest exporter of textiles and apparels in the world”, he pointed out. He noted that India’s textile exports have reached ₹3 lakh crore, with a target to increase this to ₹9 lakh crore by 2030.
Emphasizing that the success in the textile sector is the result of a decade of consistent efforts and policies, the Prime Minister highlighted that foreign investment in the textile sector has doubled over the last decade. “Textile industry is one of the largest providers of employment opportunities in the country, contributing 11% to India's manufacturing sector”, he added. He also pointed out the Mission Manufacturing announced in this budget. He remarked that the investments and growth in this sector are benefiting crores of textile workers.
Shri Modi underlined that addressing the challenges and realizing the potential of India's textile sector is their commitment. He highlighted that the efforts and policies over the last decade are reflected in this year's budget. He added that to ensure a reliable cotton supply and make Indian cotton globally competitive and to strengthen the value chain, the Mission for Cotton Productivity was announced. The Prime Minister said there was focus on sunrise sectors like technical textiles and promoting indigenous carbon fiber and its products. He remarked that India is progressing towards manufacturing high-grade carbon fiber. Furthermore, the Prime Minister mentioned that the necessary policy decisions for the textile sector are being taken. He highlighted the expansion of MSMEs' classification criteria and increased credit availability in this year's budget. He also stressed that the textile sector, with 80% contribution from MSMEs, will greatly benefit from these measures.
“Any sector excels when it has a skilled workforce and skill plays a crucial role in the textile industry”, exclaimed Shri Modi. Adding that efforts were being made to create a skilled talent pool, he highlighted the role of National Centres of Excellence for skilling and mentioned that the Samarth scheme is aiding in developing the necessary skills for the value chain. The Prime Minister stressed the importance of maintaining the authenticity of handloom craftsmanship in the age of technology. He highlighted the efforts to enhance the skills and opportunities for handloom artisans, ensuring their products reach global markets. “Over the past 10 years, more than 2400 large marketing events have been organized to promote handlooms”, he added. He also mentioned the creation of the India-hand-made e-commerce platform to boost online marketing of handloom products, which has seen thousands of handloom brands register. The Prime Minister pointed out the significant benefits of GI tagging for handloom products.
Highlighting that during the Bharat Tex event last year, the Textiles Startup Grand Challenge was launched, inviting innovative sustainable solutions from the youth for the textile sector, the Prime Minister noted that young participants from across the country actively took part in this challenge, and the winners have been invited to this event. He remarked that startups willing to support these young innovators have also been invited. He acknowledged the support of IIT Madras, Atal Innovation Mission, and several major private textile organizations for the pitch fest, which will promote the startup culture in the country. Shri Modi encouraged the youth to bring forward new techno-textile startups and work on new ideas. He suggested that the textile industry could collaborate with institutions like IITs to develop new tools. He observed that the new generation is increasingly appreciating traditional attire alongside modern fashion trends. Therefore, he emphasized the importance of fusing tradition with innovation and launching products inspired by traditional garments to attract the new generation globally. The Prime Minister also addressed the growing role of technology in discovering new trends and creating new styles, with AI playing a significant part. He mentioned that while traditional khadi is being promoted, fashion trends are also being analyzed using AI. He recounted the organization of a fashion show of Khadi Products in Porbandar, Gujarat when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. Shri Modi urged the importance of promoting Khadi, remarking that it was ‘Khadi for nation’ during our freedom struggle, but now it should be ‘Khadi for fashion’.
Sharing that his recent visit to Paris, known as the fashion capital of the world, where significant partnerships were formed between the two countries on various issues, Shri Modi highlighted that discussions included topics on environment and climate change, emphasizing the global understanding of the importance of a sustainable lifestyle, which also impacts the fashion world. The Prime Minister remarked, “the world is adopting the vision of Fashion for Environment and Empowerment, and India can lead the way in this regard”. He pointed out that sustainability has always been an integral part of Indian textiles tradition, citing examples like khadi, tribal textiles, and the use of natural dyes. He underlined that India's traditional sustainable techniques are now being enhanced with cutting-edge technologies, benefiting artisans, weavers, and millions of women associated with the industry.
The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of maximizing resource utilization and minimizing waste generation in the textile industry. He highlighted the issue of "fast fashion waste," where millions of garments are discarded monthly due to changing trends, posing significant environmental and ecological threats. He noted that by 2030, fashion waste could reach 148 million tons, with less than a quarter of textile waste being recycled today. Shri Modi remarked that India's textile industry can turn this concern into an opportunity, leveraging the country's diverse traditional skills in textile recycling and up-cycling. He pointed out examples such as the creation of mats, rugs, and coverings from old or leftover fabrics, and fine quilts made from even torn clothes in Maharashtra. He emphasized that innovation in these traditional arts can lead to global market opportunities. He announced that the Textile Ministry has signed an MoU with the Standing Conference of Public Enterprises and e-Marketplace to promote up-cycling, with many up-cyclers already registered. Pilot projects for door-to-door collection of textile waste are being conducted in cities like Navi Mumbai and Bangalore. The Prime Minister encouraged startups to join these efforts, explore opportunities, and take early steps to lead in the global market. He projected that India's textile recycling market could reach $400 million in the next few years, while the global recycled textile market is estimated to reach $7.5 billion. He remarked that with the right direction, India could achieve a larger share in this market.
Shri Modi remarked that centuries ago, when India was at the pinnacle of prosperity, the textile industry played a significant role in that prosperity. He emphasized that as India progresses towards the goal of becoming Viksit Bharat, the textile sector will once again play a major role. The Prime Minister highlighted that events like Bharat Tex are strengthening India's position in this sector. He concluded his address by expressing confidence that this event will continue to set new records of success and reach new heights each year.
Union Minister for Textiles, Shri Giriraj Singh and the Minister of state for Textiles, Shri Pabitra Margherita were present on the occasion among other dignitaries.
Background
Bharat Tex 2025, a mega global event, being held from February 14-17 at Bharat Mandapam, is unique because it brings together the entire textile value chain from raw materials to finished products including accessories under one single roof.
Bharat Tex platform is the textile industry’s largest and most comprehensive event comprising a mega expo spread across two venues and showcasing the entire textile ecosystem. It also features a Global scale conference featuring over 70 conference sessions, Roundtables, Panel Discussions, and master classes. It includes exhibitions that shall feature Special Innovation and Start up Pavilions. It also includes hackathons based Startup Pitch Fest and innovation fests, Tech tanks and design challenges providing funding opportunities for startups through leading investors.
Bharat Tex 2025 is expected to attract policymakers and global CEOs, over 5000 Exhibitors, 6000 international buyers from over 120 countries among various other visitors. Over 25 Leading Global textile bodies and associations from across the world including International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF), International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC), EURATEX, Textile Exchange, US Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) among others will also participate.
