Indian Economy News

Union Minister Mr. Giriraj Singh to Inaugurate Centre of Excellence for Handloom Technology at IIT Delhi on 3rd August

The Government of India is set to strengthen the handloom sector through the establishment of the Centre of Excellence for Handloom Technology (CoE-HT) at IIT Delhi, which will be inaugurated on August 3, 2026. Union Minister of Textiles Mr. Giriraj Singh will inaugurate the Centre, which has been established with a government investment of Rs. 11.99 crore (US$ 1.28 million). Designed as a national knowledge and innovation hub, the Centre aims to integrate India's rich handloom heritage with advanced research, digital technologies and innovation to enhance the sector's competitiveness, sustainability and global outreach. It will bring together academia, industry, designers, technologists, startups and handloom institutions to develop solutions focused on loom modernisation, ergonomics, artificial intelligence, sustainability, functional innovation, digital knowledge systems and entrepreneurship. Over the next five years, the Centre will also develop a national digital repository, create artificial intelligence-enabled tools, facilitate patents, incubate startups and strengthen skill development across the handloom ecosystem.

India's handloom sector supports more than 3.5 million weavers and allied workers, with women accounting for nearly 70% of the workforce, making it one of the country's most significant traditional industries. The Centre is expected to address key challenges related to productivity, technology adoption, traceability, authenticity and market competitiveness through research, capacity building and technology transfer. The inaugural programme will also launch five flagship initiatives, Handloom 4.0, Handloom e-Vidya, HandloomX, Kalagriha Handloom Studio (GenZ Design Studio) and Threads of Valour, to promote digital transformation, startup incubation, knowledge sharing, product innovation and circularity within the sector. By combining traditional craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology, these initiatives are expected to improve productivity, empower weavers, encourage sustainable practices and strengthen the global competitiveness of India's handloom industry.

Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.