The Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI), in association with Wazir Advisors, successfully organized a webinar on August 22 to highlight how companies can take advantage of the recently reopened Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Textiles. The event witnessed enthusiastic participation from some of the biggest names in the textile sector, along with policymakers and industry leaders.
The session featured key speakers including Richa Gupta, Director, Ministry of Textiles, Rakesh Mehra, Chairman, CITI, and Prashant Agarwal, Co-Founder & Joint Managing Director, Wazir Advisors.
The Ministry of Textiles has reopened the PLI Scheme portal to invite fresh applications under the scheme for MMF Apparel, MMF Fabrics, and Technical Textiles, with the deadline set for August 31, 2025.
Launched in September 2021, the PLI Scheme aims to promote large-scale production of MMF-based apparel and fabrics as well as technical textiles. To date, the Ministry has received 74 applications proposing investments of 28,711 crore.
Addressing participants, CITI Chairman, Rakesh Mehra described the PLI Scheme as a “landmark initiative that provides a framework to build scale, attract large investments, diversify India’s product basket, and position the country as a global leader in future-ready textiles.” He urged industry stakeholders to seize the opportunity provided by the portal’s reopening.
Mehra highlighted that despite India’s strong upstream capacity as one of the largest producers of polyester fibre and filament, the country’s downstream presence in MMF-based exports remains limited compared to competitors such as China, Vietnam, and Turkey. Strengthening this ecosystem will be vital for India to respond effectively to global demand with quality, scale, and innovation, he noted.
He also underlined the Ministry’s target of achieving $100 billion in textile and apparel exports by 2030, adding that India’s textile industry currently stands at a critical juncture. While it faces challenges in major markets like the U.S., new opportunities are opening up through Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with the UK, UAE, and ongoing negotiations with the EU.
The Chairman welcomed the 7.8% rise in apparel exports during April–July 2025 compared to the same period last year and emphasized the need to sustain momentum by focusing on downstream value addition, design, and compliance.
The webinar concluded with a strong call for collaboration between policymakers and industry leaders to fully leverage the PLI Scheme and position India as a global hub for MMF and technical textiles.
