Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) on Tuesday called for joint ventures with Taiwanese firms to promote the development of the man-made fibre (MMF) ecosystem of the country.Speaking at the Textile Summit 2026, AEPC Chairman A Sakthivel said strategic international collaborations would help strengthen India's manufacturing capabilities, facilitate technology transfer and improve global competitiveness."Sakthivel advocated the promotion of joint ventures and technology partnerships with Taiwan to accelerate the development of India's MMF ecosystem," the council said in a statement.The summit brought together policymakers, industry leaders, experts, state government representatives and stakeholders from across the textile value chain to deliberate on strategies for achieving the Government's Vision 2030 for the textile sector, including the target of creating a $350 billion textile ecosystem with $100 billion in exports by 2030.To support the industry's workforce requirements, he called for the creation of modern hostel facilities for workers in major textile and apparel clusters.Such infrastructure, he said, would improve worker welfare, facilitate labour mobility and help address manpower challenges faced by manufacturing hubs.Emphasising the need for rapid technological advancement, Sakthivel proposed the creation of a dedicated fund for technology upgradation to support investments in modern manufacturing systems, automation, digitalisation and emerging technologies, including AI-enabled solutions.He emphasised that technology adoption would be essential for improving productivity, quality and sustainability across the textile value chain.According to presentations made during the summit, the textile sector contributes 2.3 per cent to India's GDP, accounts for 10 per cent of manufacturing output and employs nearly 50 million people, making it the largest employer after agriculture.The sector exports to more than 190 countries.Published on June 24, 2026