The British Textile Machinery Association (BTMA), in partnership with India ITME Society, has officially unveiled the UK-India Textile Machinery Coalition (UKITMC) at the India ITME Centre in Mumbai, creating a dedicated platform aimed at strengthening collaboration between the textile machinery industries of the United Kingdom and India. Positioned as the first focused bilateral coalition for the textile machinery sector, the initiative is expected to play a key role in accelerating technology exchange, modernisation, and sustainable manufacturing practices across India’s textile ecosystem.

The launch ceremony was inaugurated by Vrunda Desai, Textile Commissioner of India, in the presence of Sujith Thomas from the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), British Deputy High Commission. The event also witnessed participation from senior industry leaders including Mark Birrell, Trade Counsellor for South Asia, DBT; Jason Kent, Chief Executive Officer, BTMA; Ketan Sanghvi, Chairman, India ITME Society; Mark Jarvis, Chief Strategy Officer, Fibre2Fashion; and Amol Monga, Director, Strayfield Ltd. Parik Goswami, Director – Technical Textiles at the University of Huddersfield, joined the proceedings virtually.

The newly launched UKITMC has been conceived as a long-term strategic platform that will connect Indian textile manufacturers with advanced British textile machinery and technology providers. The coalition aims to facilitate technology transfer, foster industry partnerships, and support the adoption of automation, digitalisation, and sustainable manufacturing solutions throughout India’s textile value chain.

India’s textile and apparel industry is currently working towards achieving a projected market size of $350 billion by 2030, backed by government initiatives such as the PM Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel (PM MITRA) parks and the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for technical textiles. With nearly 53 per cent of Indian mills planning machinery upgrades over the next one to three years, access to high-quality, advanced machinery is becoming increasingly essential. The coalition intends to support this transition by enabling informed investments and strengthening industry competitiveness.

Speaking at the launch, Vrunda Desai underlined the significance of international collaborations in supporting India’s textile modernisation efforts. She noted that initiatives like UKITMC align closely with the government’s broader vision of improving productivity, sustainability, and export competitiveness within the sector.

Mark Birrell, Trade Counsellor for South Asia, DBT, highlighted the growing momentum in UK-India trade relations, particularly with the anticipated implementation of the bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) later this year. He stated that zero-duty access on key UK textile machinery imports provides a strong platform for deeper industry cooperation and technology partnerships.

Jason Kent, CEO of BTMA, described the coalition as an important step towards building stronger and long-term industry linkages between the two countries. He remarked that UK textile machinery is globally recognised for its precision, consistency, and performance, and the coalition will allow Indian manufacturers to leverage these capabilities as they move towards higher-value production.

Ketan Sanghvi, Chairman of India ITME Society, added that the initiative complements India’s ongoing push towards more modern, efficient, and sustainable manufacturing systems. He emphasised that the coalition would help bridge the gap between technology availability and industry adoption.

The platform will facilitate engagement through technical webinars, trade delegations, exhibitions, and industry forums, offering stakeholders opportunities to exchange knowledge, assess emerging technologies, and establish strategic business relationships. Sustainability and energy-efficient textile machinery will remain a major focus area, alongside circular textile solutions aligned with evolving global environmental standards.

The launch of UKITMC comes ahead of India ITME 2026, one of the world’s leading textile engineering exhibitions, further reinforcing its role as a catalyst for innovation and international industry collaboration. By establishing a structured framework for engagement, the coalition is expected to support India’s transition towards future-ready textile manufacturing while strengthening bilateral trade ties between India and the United Kingdom.

Founded in 1940, the British Textile Machinery Association (BTMA) is a non-profit organisation representing UK textile machinery manufacturers globally. The association actively promotes innovation across sustainability, automation, and AI-driven technologies, while supporting industries spanning spinning, weaving, technical textiles, aerospace, and medical applications.