The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) – Tamil Nadu, in collaboration with the Tiruppur Exporters’ Association (TEA), recently held a press meet in Tiruppur to announce the ‘Tamil Nadu – Taiwan Technical Textile Partnership Summit’, scheduled to be held at Le Meridien, Coimbatore on July 21st and 22nd, 2025.
The summit aims to bring together industry leaders, technical experts, policymakers, and suppliers, particularly from Taiwan, to explore emerging opportunities and drive innovation in man-made fibres (MMF) and technical textiles in Tamil Nadu.
This two-day event will feature high-level B2B meetings, product showcases, and technical sessions focused on textile processing and manufacturing advancements.
Kumar Duraiswamy, Joint Secretary, TEA, addressing the press, stated that an exhibition of ready-made garments made from MMF will be showcased to the delegates in Tiruppur. Additionally, a special discussion between the Taiwanese delegation and Indian manufacturers and exporters will be conducted during the summit.
Duraiswamy highlighted the global shift away from Chinese textile dependence, noting that many countries now consider India as their preferred sourcing destination.
“Post-COVID, the Indian textile industry is witnessing a bright resurgence. The trade climate is increasingly in India’s favour,” he said.
He mentioned India’s recent historic Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the UK, expected to boost business by 10–15%, and ongoing negotiations with the EU. The USA has also maintained lower tariffs for Indian textile products compared to other countries. He hinted at more positive developments in early August.
“To grow our textile exports, we cannot depend on cotton alone. Cotton production is declining, and India lags in the production of winter wear and sportswear,” Duraiswamy noted.
Sakthivel, TEA’s Founder President, has long advocated for Tiruppur-based companies to diversify into MMF-based manufacturing, recommending that at least 20% of their production shift to MMF.
Duraiswamy added that Taiwan has already invested significantly in Tamil Nadu, particularly in non-leather footwear (December 2024) and through electronics major Foxconn.
“We expect similar investments from Taiwan in Tamil Nadu’s textile sector. Taiwan has strong expertise in MMF garment manufacturing and is a global leader in sportswear and outdoor fabrics,” he emphasized.
He encouraged local exporters, manufacturers, and unit owners from the dyeing, printing, knitting, and textile sectors to attend and benefit from the summit.
Gopikumar, Convener of the Textile Panel, CII – Tamil Nadu, said, “Taiwan is particularly interested in establishing business ties with Tamil Nadu. Its prior investments in the footwear and electronics sectors in the state affirm this. We saw the opportunity to leverage Taiwan’s technical expertise to strengthen our textile ecosystem.”
Gopikumar noted that the Taiwan Textile Research Institute (TTRI)—a body jointly funded by the Taiwanese industry and government—has played a key role in Taiwan’s innovation-led textile success. Discussions are underway to establish partnerships with TTRI that would benefit Tamil Nadu’s textile landscape.
“Taiwan leads the world in sportswear and outdoor fabrics, with a dominant market share and major global buyers sourcing from Taiwan, Indonesia, and Cambodia.”
He concluded by stressing the Indian government’s ambitious goal of increasing textile exports from 15 billion USD to 100 billion USD.
“To achieve this, India needs technical guidance from global leaders like Taiwan. The summit will offer insights into the infrastructure, technology, and machinery required for MMF processing in India.”
CII and TEA jointly extended a warm invitation to all stakeholders in the textile industry to participate in this high-impact summit and leverage the opportunities for collaboration and growth.
