The Indian Textile Accessories and Machinery Manufacturers' Association (ITAMMA) held its 82nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) on September 24, 2025, in Mumbai, with a dual focus on critical industry issues: Packaging Aspects and preparing the sector for 'Viksit Bharat 2047.'
ND Mhatre, Director General (Tech) ITAMMA, highlighted, customer rejections due to poor packaging remain a major complaint, especially with textile machinery increasingly featuring delicate electronic components. To address this, ITAMMA hosted Dr Babu Rao Guduri from the Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP), a national apex body established by the Ministry of Commerce. Dr. Guduri provided detailed insights and case studies on the importance of robust and sustainable packaging for promoting exports.
Omprakash Mantry, President, ITAMMA noted, comprising roughly 3,000 units and expected to reach $2.02 billion by 2033, the Indian textile machinery industry needs to innovate in packaging materials like woven sacks and FIBCs, and adopt eco-friendly, paper-based alternatives to reduce polymer dependence.
The AGM also featured consultant Avinash Mayekar of Suvin Expo LLP, who presented a strategic roadmap for the Indian Textile Engineering Industry (ITEI) to contribute to the nation's 2047 vision.
The national textile goal is ambitious: $600 billion in textile exports and a $1.8 trillion domestic market. Mayekar stressed, achieving this requires ITEI to maximize its global market share through strategic initiative like import substitution, technology and OEM development, and infrastructure creation.
The technology areas that need to be specifically focused include: manmade fiber spinning (airjet, open-end), high-speed weaving (rapier, airjet, waterjet looms), state-of-the-art processing range, and advanced technical textiles machinery.
In a related event, ITAMMA launched the 'Innovation Scouting Mission' in association with the ‘BK Mehta Endowment Fund.’ This initiative allows students from textile institutes to work in member factories for a day or two to explore and develop innovative solutions for increasing productivity and reducing costs. This mission, an extension of the previously successful 'BK Mehta Technology Networking Mission-2030' series, aims to directly connect academia, industry experts, and government bodies to foster the next generation of textile engineering innovation.
