CITEX - Surat International Textile Expo 2024 : Inaugurated by Minister Pabitra Margherita, aims to boost India's textile industry.

Surat is set to host the 'CITEX - Surat International Textile Expo 2024', organized by the South Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI), South Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry Development Center, and Surat Techmech Federation. The expo will take place from July 20 to 22, 2024, from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm at the Surat International Exhibition and Convention Center, Sarsana.

The event was inaugurated by Pabitra Margherita, Minister of State for Textiles, India, with S.P. Verma, Additional Textiles Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, as the chief guest.

SGCCI President Vijay Mevawala, in his welcome address, highlighted the expo's goal to develop the textile industry in Gujarat and significantly contribute to India's GDP growth. He emphasized that CITEX 2024 will enhance textile quality and boost exports, making Indian textile products globally competitive.

During the event, President Mevawala presented key issues to Minister Margherita, including the removal of Quality Control Orders (QCO) on 17 types of special yarns not manufactured in India, the urgent need to restart the ATUF scheme, and the reinstatement of the Yarn Bank Scheme. Additionally, he requested that Chinese engineers be granted visas to visit Surat.

Minister Margherita assured the industrialists that efforts would be made to address these proposals swiftly, aiming to increase India's 4 percent share in the global textile market. He reiterated the government's focus on diversity, innovation, adaptability, and self-reliance in the textile sector.

Additional Textile Secretary S.P. Verma stated that while machinery worth Rs 37,000 crore was made available under the ATUF scheme, Rs 27,000 crore worth of machinery was imported. He urged entrepreneurs to take the initiative in manufacturing machinery domestically to reduce imports. Verma also mentioned ongoing discussions with machinery manufacturers and government officials to advance this goal, encouraging industrialists to produce machinery in India.