The ‘UK-India Textile Machinery Alliance’ was officially launched at a major event in Mumbai, marking a significant step toward strengthening industrial and trade relations between India and the United Kingdom.
The initiative has been jointly established by the British Textile Machinery Association and the India ITME Society to promote deeper technological, commercial, and industrial cooperation between the textile machinery sectors of both countries.
The event was inaugurated by Vrinda Desai in the presence of senior officials from the British Deputy High Commission, textile industry leaders, and international experts. The alliance aims to connect India’s rapidly growing textile industry with advanced British expertise in automation, digitalisation, and modern textile machinery technologies. Industry stakeholders believe the partnership will help Indian manufacturers improve productivity, efficiency, and global competitiveness.
India’s textile sector is projected to reach a market size of USD 350 billion by 2030, supported by government initiatives such as PM MITRA Parks and the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme. According to industry estimates, more than half of Indian textile mills are expected to modernise or upgrade their machinery over the next three years, creating strong demand for advanced equipment and innovative manufacturing solutions.
Speakers at the launch event highlighted that the proposed India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA), expected to come into effect this year, could remove import duties on several textile machinery products from the UK, further boosting bilateral trade and investment. The alliance is also expected to support sustainable and environmentally responsible manufacturing practices across the textile value chain.
Addressing the gathering, Textile Commissioner Vrinda Desai stated that India’s textile industry is witnessing rapid technological transformation and that the alliance would help Indian companies gain access to world-class innovation and machinery solutions. British trade representatives added that the partnership goes beyond trade and would serve as a long-term platform for technology exchange, innovation, and sustainable industrial growth between the two nations.
In the coming months, the alliance plans to organise webinars, international exhibitions, business delegations, and technical exchange programmes to create new opportunities for collaboration and direct engagement between textile entrepreneurs and machinery manufacturers from India and the UK.
News courtesy : tripurastarnews