India will begin producing carbon fiber by 2025-26, a niche material currently used in aerospace, civil engineering, and defense sectors as a lightweight alternative to metal, said Giriraj Singh, Union Textiles Minister at a technical textiles event organised by FICCI.
At present, India relies entirely on imports for carbon fiber from countries such as the US, France, Japan, and Germany. This shift towards local production comes ahead of the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, which will impose a tax on embedded carbon imports starting in 2026, Singh said.
He highlighted the Union Government’s commitment to developing India’s technical textiles industry by citing initiatives such as the National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM) and PLI Scheme for MMF fabrics, MMF apparel and technical textiles.
The government has also approved 156 research projects under the NTTMincluding initiatives focused on developing carbon fibers and supporting startups, Singh added, He specifically mentioned the North India Textile Research Association's (NITRA) innovation in creating fibers from milkweed, which are suitable for cold-weather applications.
Looking ahead, Singh said, India will definitely surpass the $10 billion export target for technical textiles by 2030, with sectors like Meditech (medical textiles), particularly hygiene products, playing a significant role. He also highlighted the employment potential of Agrotech (agricultural textiles) and the growing demand for high-performance fibres in industries such as aerospace, automotive, and construction.
