Panipat Technical Transformation Chintan Shivir

New Delhi, December 3, 2025: The PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry PHDCCI in Collaboration with National Technical Textiles Mission NTTM, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India successfully hosted a high-level Chintan Shivir in Panipat. The event brought together senior government officials, industry leaders, R&D experts, and innovators to strategize the transformation of the Panipat textile cluster into a global hub for technical textiles, circularity, and high-value exports, aligning with Vision 2047 goals.

Inaugural Session: Policy, Progress, and National Launches: The Inaugural Session was marked by strong ministerial support, comprehensive progress updates, and the launch of several major national initiatives. Pabitra Margherita, Hon’ble Minister of State for Textiles, conveyed enthusiasm via a video message, recognizing Panipat’s vital role as a leading textile and recycling hub and encouraging continued movement towards technology-driven, sustainable growth. Rajinder Kumar, Economic Advisor, Ministry of Textiles, emphasized the growing importance of technical textiles across healthcare, defence, and infrastructure. He acknowledged Panipat’s potential to evolve into a technology-driven innovation hub and reinforced the government's active support through standards, incentives, and capacity-building. 

Ashok Malhotra, Mission Director, NTTM, Ministry of Textiles, delivered the keynote address, providing a detailed overview of the significant, tangible progress achieved under the National Technical Textiles Mission. He shared compelling data, revealing that since its launch in FY21 with an outlay of INR 1480 crore, the NTTM has sanctioned 168 R&D projects with a grant of INR 550 crore, that includes 61 new product development, 48 sustainability development related, 21 related to import substitution, with 31 patents already applied for and 10 projects nearing completion. Furthermore, the mission has approved 24 startups with a grant of INR 12 crore and facilitated the development of 24 skill development courses, successfully training over 1000 individuals. Mr. Malhotra strongly emphasized the strategic opportunities for the traditional textile industry to leverage these achievements and diversify into high-margin technical textile segments, thereby maximizing infrastructure utilization and value addition to strengthen national competitiveness. 

R. K. Vij, Co-Chair, PHDCCI Packaging Committee, delivered the Welcome Address, underscoring Panipat’s identity as India’s leading hub for textile recycling. Shri Vij introduced the launch of three transformative initiatives: "Atal Centre of Textile Recycling and Sustainability": Developed under the NTTM and coordinated by Prof. Bipin Kumar, IIT Delhi. "National Flag Recycling Initiative": Curated by Maj. Gen. Ashim Kohli, Retd, establishing a dignified and eco-friendly disposal system for the national flag. "Textile-Tech-Innovator for Textile Entrepreneurs Programme": Supported by the Atal Incubation Centre, IIT Delhi, to nurture next-generation entrepreneurs. Sunil Kumar Puri, renowned as The Knitting Guru, delivered a comprehensive presentation on "Technical Textiles: Opportunities & Enablers for the Panipat Sector." He highlighted flat-bed knitting technology as a versatile solution for the future, capable of creating complex 2D and 3D structures, seamless designs, and fully engineered products. Puri detailed the expanding use of technical textiles in aerospace, automotive, and medical fields, emphasizing the rise of smart, conductive, and responsive textiles e.g., knitted ECG monitors and cooling garments which offer immense potential for Panipat’s ecosystem upgrade.

The program featured two dynamic technical sessions, ensuring deep engagement between speakers and the over 200 delegates.

Following the inaugural session, the programme moved into two insightful technical sessions. Session 1, themed “Recycling, Circularity & Startups,” was expertly moderated by Prof. Bipin Kumar from IIT Delhi. The panel brought together key industry and research leaders including Dr. M. S. Parmar, DG, NITRA; Dr. Nandan Kumar, CMD, HPT Textiles; Manish Chhabra, Partner, Satyam Polyknits; Alok Pandey, CEO, AIC Sonipat; and Ravi Kumar, General Manager – Technical Head, Teijin India Pvt. Ltd. The discussions highlighted indigenous recycling solutions, fire-retardant HomeTech innovations, and opportunities for technological upgrades in Panipat’s textile ecosystem.
Session 2 focused on “Quality, Compliance, Skills and Cluster Collaboration,” moderated by Nishant Anand from Bureau Veritas. The panel featured distinguished experts including J. K. Gupta, Scientist-E & HoD, Textiles Department, BIS; Dr. Sudershan Dhamija, HoD, PIET; Dr. Swapna Mishra, CEO, TSSC; and Dr. S. Vaibhav from IIT Mandi’s iHub and HCi Foundation. 
A major highlight alongside the Chintan Shivir was an exhibition organized by PHDCCI, which showcased innovative products and services related to the textile sector. The stalls featured solutions for entrepreneurial and startup mentoring, advanced recycling of high-performance textiles, army waste recycling, and the utilization of new fibres such as milkweed. Key participants in the exhibition included NTTM, NITRA, Bureau Veritas, AIC, Ecosynx Innovation, ITTA, TSSC, IIT Mandi, and Sewaj Neesim Foundation.

The Panipat Technical Textiles Chintan Shivir was highly successful, bringing together policymakers, industry leaders, researchers, and innovators on one collaborative platform. The event witnessed an overwhelming attendance from many local Panipat industry representatives, and garnered extensive coverage from both print and electronic media, underscoring the national importance of Panipat’s transformation.

The discussions across all sessions highlighted a unified commitment to technological advancement and global competitiveness. With new institutions and initiatives launched, the Shivir marked a decisive step toward shaping a high-value, future-ready textile ecosystem, thereby reinforcing Panipat’s critical contribution to India's Vision 2047.