India’s textile delegation visits Prato to explore manufacturing collaboration, investment, technology exchange and sustainable textile production with Italian industry leaders.
Strengthening India–Italy Textile Cooperation | From Industry Dialogue to Manufacturing Partnerships
Day 3 of the Indian delegation’s visit to Italy, led by Smt. Neelam Shami Rao Secretary, Ministry of Textiles,Government of India,visited Prato, one of Italy’s most prominent textile manufacturing clusters, renowned for its rich textile heritage, specialised manufacturing capabilities and thriving circular textile economy.
The day commenced with an interaction with the President of Confindustria Toscana Nord (CTN), followed by a seminar on India–Italy cooperation in textiles and fashion. Discussions centred on strengthening bilateral trade, investment, technological exchange and industrial partnerships, with Bharat Tex 2027 highlighted as an important global platform to deepen industry engagement and unlock new opportunities.
The seminar was followed by one-to-one B2B meetings between Indian and Italian industry representatives, facilitating direct business interactions, exploring synergies and identifying potential areas of collaboration.
The afternoon featured visits to textile manufacturing facilities in Prato, offering valuable insights into the region’s industrial ecosystem, manufacturing expertise, material innovation and sustainable approaches to textile production.
A key takeaway was the strength of Prato’s interconnected textile ecosystem, where specialised enterprises, manufacturing knowledge and strong industry networks come together to drive innovation and global competitiveness.
For India, this presents an important opportunity to strengthen linkages between our textile clusters, design institutions, research capabilities and industry, transforming traditional strengths into globally competitive, innovation-driven enterprises. With the India–EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) opening new avenues for economic engagement, the visit also sets the tone for deeper India–Italy cooperation, enabling businesses on both sides to leverage complementarities, expand market access and realise mutual benefits.
The future of textiles will not be shaped by manufacturing capabilities alone, but by how effectively we connect knowledge, technology, sustainability and markets. India and Italy have much to learn from each other—and even more to achieve together.