‘There is room for everybody': Rohit Kansal says tech won’t replace jobs in India’s $176 billion textile sector

He also added that while automation and machinery will play a growing role, the human element remains vital.

“Machines are not going to take jobs of all individuals,” said Rohit Kansal, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, as he stated the inclusive and evolving nature of India’s textile sector at The Powering Bharat Summit, organised by Network18 in collaboration with Moneycontrol, News18 India, and CNBC Awaaz.

Speaking during the 'Enabling India' panel discussion on ‘Skilling, Scaling & Sustaining Enterprises’, Kansal explored the convergence of textiles, talent, and technology in building future-ready enterprises.

Highlighting the sector’s importance, Kansal said textiles contribute 10 percent to India’s GDP and employ 4.5 crore people across the country. “We are a $176 billion economy in textiles, exporting $40 billion worth of goods,” he said, adding that the sector continues to strike a balance between modernisation and tradition.

Kansal praised the pivotal role of MSMEs in driving sustainability in textiles, noting, “Our MSMEs are carrying the cycle of sustainability in the textile sector.”

He also added that while automation and machinery will play a growing role, the human element remains vital. “There is room for everybody,” Kansal said, reinforcing that technological advancement in the industry is geared toward augmentation, not replacement.

Kansal also highlighted India’s growing dominance across the entire textile value chain, noting that the country is excelling both in machine-made textiles and traditional handlooms. “We are dominating all elements of the value chain,” he said. Looking ahead, Kansal said the government aims to double the sector’s economic value to $350 billion by 2030 and raise textile exports to $100 billion. As part of this vision, seven PM-MITRA parks, mega integrated textile regions and apparel hubs, are being developed across the country to boost infrastructure, scale, and global competitiveness.

Kansal emphasised the importance of the textile industry for India saying the sector was the second largest employer in the country after agriculture. He added that the private sector needs to play key role in increasing textiles' production, and achieving the targets set by the country.

Underlining the technological advancements in the textile industry, Kansal said NIFT (National Institute of Fashion Technology) was doing an AI based trend forecast, predicting what design and colour would be in demand.