PDEXCIL 31st AGM Highlights Resilience and Growth of India’s Powerloom Sector

Council reviews export performance, policy engagement and initiatives to expand global market access

The Powerloom Development and Export Promotion Council (PDEXCIL) held its 31st Annual General Meeting on 23 September 2026 at Aurika Hotel, Mumbai. Chairman Shri K. Sakthivel presented the Council’s performance highlights and outlined initiatives to strengthen the competitiveness of India’s powerloom sector.

Export Performance

India’s total exports of goods and services reached a record USD 863.1 billion in 2025–26, registering growth of more than 4 per cent over the previous year. Merchandise exports contributed USD 441.8 billion.

According to the figures presented by the Chairman, textile and apparel exports, including handicrafts, stood at approximately USD 35.5 billion. The performance was achieved despite global headwinds, including tariff uncertainty in key Western markets, subdued demand and disruptions linked to the conflict in West Asia.

Powerloom fabrics and made-ups remained an important part of India’s textile production and export base. Powerlooms account for roughly 60 per cent of the country’s total fabric production. Despite currency pressures and weak global demand, the sector maintained its competitiveness in traditional markets while expanding into new destinations.

Policy Engagement

Throughout the year, PDEXCIL engaged with the government on key industry concerns, including container shortages, high shipping costs, raw-material price fluctuations and the need for Free Trade Agreements with major markets. The Council also advocated interest equalisation, technology upgradation support and the revival of the Power-Tex scheme.

The Chairman welcomed the operationalisation of trade agreements with the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Australia, Oman and New Zealand. At the AGM, these agreements were described as providing duty-free access to more than 99 per cent of Indian exports to the respective countries, offering direct benefits to the powerloom sector.

The extension of the RoSCTL and RoDTEP schemes beyond 31 March 2026 was also noted as a measure supporting exporters’ cost competitiveness.

On the domestic front, PDEXCIL continued to press for the removal of import duty on cotton to benefit powerloom weavers. The Council further advocated lower electricity tariffs, marketing support for MSMEs and a new capital subsidy scheme on the lines of the earlier Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (TUFS), which supported the modernisation of two lakh looms across the country.

Export Promotion and Skills

PDEXCIL organised participation in several international exhibitions during the year, including Intex South Asia in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, the Saudi Fabric & Yarn Expo in Saudi Arabia, the International Apparel & Textile Fair in Dubai and Artigiano in Fiera in Milan. The Council also conducted webinars on foreign exchange, export compliance and MSME schemes.

Under Bharat Tex 2026, PDEXCIL participated with 127 exhibitors across a total exhibition area of 4,148 square metres and invited 123 international buyers to support B2B interactions and export opportunities. FTA Outreach Programmes were organised in Ahmedabad and Coimbatore to help exporters leverage opportunities under India’s Free Trade Agreements.

Under the SAMARTH skill-development programme, the Council commenced implementation with a target of 7,000 trainees and successfully trained 6,976 candidates, supporting skill development and employment in the textile sector.

Industry Partnerships

PDEXCIL entered into MoUs and partnerships with Honista India Pvt. Ltd., KARL MAYER, the Government of Tamil Nadu and AWARE™. These collaborations focus on technology advancement, sustainability, capacity building and the development of the textile and powerloom sector.

The Council also continued to strengthen member services through weekly industry and foreign-exchange updates, membership expansion and new market linkages. These initiatives are intended to contribute meaningfully to India’s export ambition of USD 2 trillion by 2030.

Chairman Shri K. Sakthivel expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi; Minister of Textiles Shri Giriraj Singh; Minister of State for Textiles Shri Pabitra Margherita; Minister of Commerce and Industry Shri Piyush Goyal; Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Shri Jitin Prasada; Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman; Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Smt. Neelam Shami Rao; Commerce Secretary Shri Rajesh Agrawal; Additional Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Shri Amitabh Kumar; Joint Secretary Smt. Kapil Chaudhary; and Director General of Foreign Trade Shri Lav Agarwal.

He also thanked officers and staff members of the Ministry of Textiles, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Textile Commissioner, as well as his colleagues in the Committee of Administration, the Vice Chairman, the Executive Director, the Council’s staff and all members for their support and cooperation.