Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh has called for a major transformation in the handloom sector, stressing innovation, market-driven designs and sustainable production to revive the industry and create new opportunities for weavers and artisans.
Addressing the first Annual Conclave of the Indian Institutes of Handloom Technology-IIHT, SUTRA 2026, in New Delhi, Mr Singh said that handloom had once become a powerful tool of resistance against British colonial rule and now needs to become a tool for economic empowerment. He urged students to think about the market before designing a product, saying handloom products must meet consumer needs and have real market value.
Mr Singh also stressed that handloom must evolve through design upgrades, modern technology, and stronger industry linkages to help revive the sector and expand opportunities for weavers and artisans.
The Minister also called for developing handloom as a niche, GI-tagged and high-value product, while encouraging students to become entrepreneurs and job creators rather than job seekers. He also visited the exhibition and interacted with the students.
During the event, Memoranda of Understanding with Grasim Industries Limited, Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Sambalpur and Northern India Textile Research Association (NITRA) were exchanged. The MoUs are aimed at strengthening industry-academia collaboration, research, innovation, entrepreneurship, faculty development, internships and institutional capacity building across the IIHT ecosystem.
