India to turn self-sufficient in silk in 2 years: minister

India, which ranks second after China in silk production, would become ‘completely self-sufficient’ in silk in the next two years, textiles minister Smriti Irani said recently. 

Technical textiles are the future of textiles and the government is extremely keen on supporting and taking forward this sector, she at an event organised by a top business chamber.

Textiles are even used by the Indian Space Research Organisation—its shuttle programme uses a carbon-based textile from one of its establishments in Ahmedabad, media reports quoted Irani as saying.

The event was organised in New Delhi by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

India produces a cotton variety called Shankar that is better in quality than Egyptian cotton, she said.

"So its also about finding your marketing avenues for the raw material that we have in our country, the other larger producer of cotton and jute. Till you don’t realize your strengths, you cannot have more people interested in that avenue of industry,” she added.