Rajasthan positions itself as a leading contender for the mega textile park announced in the Union Budget, boosting investment and textile growth.
Rajasthan is emerging as a strong contender to host one of the seven mega textile parks announced in the Union Budget, with state officials highlighting the region’s industrial base and export potential. Following the Budget announcement, a delegation from the Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC), led by chairman A. Shaktivel, visited Kota to assess the state’s prospects. While AEPC representatives refrained from making official comments, government sources said Rajasthan is keen to secure one of the proposed parks, citing its established textile ecosystem.
During a meeting with senior AEPC representatives and members of the Garment Exporters of Rajasthan (GEAR), Chief Secretary V. Srinivas called on the industry to capitalize on opportunities arising from India’s ongoing trade engagements with the UK, EU and the US. He urged exporters to strengthen international outreach through flagship apparel and textile exhibitions.
Emphasizing the importance of global visibility, Srinivas said Indian exporters must expand their presence beyond Asia and focus on markets in the US and Europe, including major industrial centres such as Los Angeles. He added that structured, brand-driven engagements should be prioritized to boost exports.
The Chief Secretary also suggested that Rajasthan could consider hosting a large-scale, apparel-focused exhibition, given the state’s expanding industrial ecosystem. He noted that major textile events create significant spillover benefits and said Jaipur would be well placed to host such a show. Highlighting the employment potential of the sector, Srinivas said that every additional $1 billion in textile exports generates nearly 10 lakh jobs, making textiles the largest employment generator after agriculture.
He outlined Rajasthan’s strengths by pointing to existing textile clusters and parks in Jaipur and Pali, the Kishangarh high-tech weaving park, and the Rupaheli Textile Park in Bhilwara. He assured exporters that operational challenges would be addressed swiftly by the state administration.
Despite global trade uncertainties, Srinivas noted that job losses in the textile sector have been limited, as international brands continue to source from India. He also highlighted the role of the Rajasthan Foundation and Pravasi Rajasthani networks in Europe and the US as key links for attracting global investors.
Identifying technology adoption, compliance and global outreach as the three main drivers of growth, Srinivas referred to the Tirupur Apparel Park in Tamil Nadu as a benchmark for strong compliance practices. He recalled earlier challenges related to child labour allegations and said initiatives such as DISHA helped bring thousands of apparel units under strict compliance frameworks aligned with global standards.
He added that recent reforms, including amendments to the Shops and Establishments Act, labour codes and deregulation of working hours, now allow factories to operate round the clock and employ women in night shifts with appropriate security measures. These changes, he said, will support the development of large, globally competitive manufacturing units.