The Ministry of Textiles today convened the 2nd Coordination Committee Meeting of Textile Research Associations (TRAs) at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, under the chairpersonship of Smt. Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles. The meeting marked a significant step towards strengthening coordination, enhancing effectiveness and promoting greater outcome-orientation in textile research and development activities across the country.

The meeting was attended by senior officers of the Ministry of Textiles, senior representatives of Textile Research Associations and representatives from the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Department of Science & Technology, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), IITs, among others. The meeting was conducted as a full-day intensive brainstorming session, with detailed deliberations on research priorities, technology development, innovation, industry linkages, commercialization of R&D outcomes and institutional strengthening of TRAs.

The meeting reviewed the progress made since the 1st Coordination Committee Meeting on various initiatives, including strengthening of equipment inventory and digital information through the i-TRAMS portal, constitution of sub-committees, identification of Centres of Excellence and New Age Fibres, and consultations on emerging areas of technical textiles.

The deliberations focused on further aligning the activities of TRAs with national priorities and the evolving requirements of the textile industry. Key areas discussed included global benchmarking of Centres of Excellence, adoption of a structured Technology Readiness Assessment Framework, strengthening the startup and innovation ecosystem, development of a common e-library platform, mobilisation of external funding, effective implementation of projects under the National Technical Textiles Mission, membership growth, skill development, governance reforms and performance evaluation.

The Government emphasised that research undertaken by TRAs should increasingly be industry-driven, outcome-oriented and measurable, with greater focus on translating research into technologies, patents, prototypes, commercialisation opportunities, import substitution and practical solutions to industry challenges, particularly those faced by MSMEs. It was also emphasised that industry participation should commence at the conceptualisation stage of research to ensure relevance and adoption of R&D outcomes.

The Five-Year Plans and Annual Action Plans for 2026–27 of TRAs are expected to provide a clear strategic roadmap covering R&D, technology development, testing and standardisation, capacity building, innovation and institutional collaborations. Effective utilisation of i-TRAMS was also emphasised for monitoring activities, sharing information, mapping research capabilities and facilitating linkages between industry requirements and TRA expertise.

The meeting further highlighted the need for a robust KPI-based performance evaluation framework, supported by reliable data and periodic review, to ensure accountability, effective utilisation of resources and timely achievement of measurable outcomes.

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment towards building a stronger, globally competitive and innovation-driven textile research ecosystem, with enhanced collaboration among TRAs, industry, startups, academia and research institutions, contributing to the growth, sustainability and technological advancement of India's textile sector.

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 MAM/VN