Giriraj Singh Visits ‘Indie Haat 2026’ at National Crafts Museum Ahead of Bharat Tex 2026
Handloom and handicraft showcase features 48 artisans, 12 NIFT alumni brands and live craft demonstrations at the National Crafts Museum, New Delhi.
Union Minister of Textiles Shri Giriraj Singh visited ‘Indie Haat 2026 – A Celebration of India’s Rich Handloom and Handicraft Heritage’ at the National Crafts Museum & Hastkala Academy, New Delhi. Organised by the Office of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) in collaboration with the Office of the Development Commissioner (Handlooms), Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, the event is being held from 10 to 19 July 2026 as a special initiative linked with Bharat Tex 2026.
Indie Haat 2026 is being organised by the Office of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, along with the Office of the Development Commissioner (Handlooms) at the National Crafts Museum & Hastkala Academy, New Delhi.
The exhibition, running from 10 July to 19 July 2026, has been curated as a special initiative associated with Bharat Tex 2026, India's global textile event taking place from 14 to 17 July 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
During his visit, Union Minister of Textiles Shri Giriraj Singh was accompanied by Smt. Neelam Shami Rao, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, senior officials of the Ministry of Textiles, officials from the Office of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) and Office of the Development Commissioner (Handlooms), members of the Steering Committee of Bharat Tex, participating artisans and trade visitors.
Addressing the gathering, Shri Giriraj Singh said:
“India’s handlooms and handicrafts are a living expression of our civilisational heritage, creativity and the unmatched skill of our artisans and weavers. Indie Haat 2026 provides an important platform to showcase this rich legacy before national and international audiences, particularly buyers and visitors coming to Bharat Tex 2026. Such initiatives strengthen the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and Vocal for Local by creating greater visibility, market access and livelihood opportunities for artisans, weavers and craft-based enterprises across the country.”
He further added:
“The Government of India remains committed to empowering artisans and weavers through design support, market linkages, digital promotion and global exposure. By positioning India’s traditional crafts within the larger textile value chain, Indie Haat will help connect heritage with contemporary markets and take the products of our craft clusters to homes and consumers across the world.”
NIFT-Curated Showcase of Traditional Crafts
The exhibition has been curated by the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) to present handcrafted and handwoven products in a contemporary format.
Indie Haat 2026 features products created by 48 artisans and weavers along with 12 design-led handicraft and handloom brands established by NIFT alumni, representing a wide range of traditional crafts from across India.
The crafts on display include:
- Gulabi Minakari
- Stone Inlay
- Dokra metal craft
- Musical instruments
- Manuscript painting
- Bone inlay on wood
- Usta Kala
- Pichwai art
- Sozni embroidery
- Molela clay craft
- Blue Pottery of Jaipur
- Silver filigree
- Cheriyal painting
- Mysore traditional painting
- Rosewood inlay
- Mata Ni Pachedi
- Agate craft
- Papier-mâché
- Batik painting
- Candle making
- Sandalwood craft
- Shola pith
- Kantha embroidery
- Bagru Block Print
- Jamdani sarees
- Pine Needle Craft
- Muga and Eri Silk
- Ikat of Odisha
Live Demonstrations
Visitors can also watch live demonstrations of traditional craft techniques, providing an opportunity to observe the processes involved in creating handcrafted products.
Link with Bharat Tex 2026
According to the organisers, Bharat Tex 2026 will cover 1.6 million square feet of exhibition space and showcase more than 20,000 textile products.
The event is expected to attract more than 7,000 international buyers and over 1,30,000 visitors, including policymakers, global CEOs and industry leaders.
The organisers stated that Indie Haat 2026 aims to connect India's traditional handloom and handicraft clusters with domestic and international buyers by presenting artisan-made products as part of the broader textile value chain.
The Office of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) said it continues to support artisans through design and market development initiatives, buyer linkages and promotion of handcrafted products in domestic and international markets.