The Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI), in col
laboration with the Government of Telangana, hosted the
13th Asian Textile Conference (ATEXCON 2026) in Hydera
bad on April 2–3 with the objective of charting a roadmap
for a resilient and future-ready global textile industry. The
conference assumed significance as India aims to more than
double its textile and apparel exports to $100 billion by 2030.
The event brought together industry leaders, policymakers and
stakeholders to deliberate on strategies to strengthen the sec
tor amid evolving global trends such as technological disrup
tion, sustainability requirements, innovation and changing
trade dynamics.
The summit, themed “Reimagining the Future of Global
Textiles,” was inaugurated by Telangana Chief Minister A.
Revanth Reddy. Addressing the gathering, he stated that
Telangana possesses both the “skill and will” to emerge as a
major textile hub and is keen to partner with industry
stakeholders to promote “fashion made in Telangana.” He
expressed the state’s ambition to position itself as the “textile
capital of South Asia,” highlighting the state’s policy focus on
environmental sustainability and the ongoing development of
green textile hubs.
Telangana Textiles Minister Tummula Nageswara Rao
underscored the state government’s commitment to
strengthening the textile value chain through supportive
policies and infrastructure. Meanwhile, Telangana Industries,
Commerce, IT and Electronics & Communication Minister D.
Sridhar Babu stressed the importance of technology and
innovation in transforming the sector. He highlighted
Telangana’s vision of integrating traditional textile heritage
with advanced technological capabilities, remarking that
“when we weave our own fabric, we weave our own destiny.”
Deliberations during ATEXCON 2026 centred on three major
pillars—fibres and fabrics, manufacturing and supply chains,
and markets and trade. Discussions emphasised scaling up
sustainable materials, adopting advanced manufacturing technologies, and exploring emerging global markets to
enhance competitiveness. The Telangana Textile Dialogue,
organised alongside the conference, further examined key
themes including policy and investment, global connectivity,
heritage and innovation, and skill development to build a
robust textile ecosystem. Across multiple sessions, industry
experts highlighted the need to leverage technology more
effectively, address structural challenges, enhance innovation
and strengthen sustainability initiatives across the value chain.
CITI Chairman Ashwin Chandran observed that the textile
sector must move beyond its traditional approaches and adopt
new strategies suited to the volatile and complex global
environment.
Dr M. Beena, Development Commissioner (Handlooms),
Ministry of Textiles, noted that the latest Union Budget has
placed considerable emphasis on strengthening the textile
sector. The conference also saw the release of a Gherzi Position
Paper on “Reimagining the Future of Global Textiles” and a
CITI Knowledge Paper on improving India’s competitiveness
in the emerging Asian and global trade landscape. The event
concluded with a shared commitment to drive innovation-led
growth and reinforce Asia’s role in the global textile value
chain.