Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister, Eknath Shinde, announced that the state’s newly launched ‘Farm to Foreign’ programme is designed to forge links between growers, producers, business owners and the international fashion sector, cementing the state’s ambitions to become a leading centre for textile manufacturing and exports.
Invoking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Viksit Bharat @2047 vision, the Deputy Chief Minister outlined the state’s ‘Five F’ framework, spanning Farm to Fibre, Fibre to Factory, Factory to Fashion and Fashion to Foreign stages.
Rather than simply processing agricultural output within state borders, the ambition is to build internationally recognised brands drawing on Maharashtra’s cotton, silk, jute and other farm produce.
“Maharashtra boasts a rich and enduring heritage in textiles. The rise of Mumbai as India’s financial hub was intertwined with the city’s celebrated textile mills of old. Drawing on this heritage, the state is now developing contemporary infrastructure and investment avenues to steer the sector towards fresh growth,” Shinde remarked while addressing attendees at the ‘Farm to Foreign Conclave 2026’.
He noted that ventures including the PM MITRA Park situated in Nagpur and the Amravati Textile Cluster would inject renewed momentum into the industry, creating jobs and bolstering the state’s economic standing.
The Deputy Chief Minister stressed that manufacturing’s future hinges not solely on boosting output volumes but on ensuring industries embrace green practices, digital transformation and greater transparency.
Efforts are underway to establish garment-manufacturing clusters across key textile hubs, including Ichalkaranji, Solapur and Bhiwandi, thereby opening fresh doors for jobs, business ventures and capital investment.
Shinde also highlighted that the state is prioritising the training of women in contemporary tailoring and garment production techniques, tying these efforts to the ‘Ladki Bahin’ welfare scheme. By linking skills training with job creation and enterprise support, these programmes are intended to pave the way for women to achieve financial independence.
According to Shinde, the state’s growing infrastructure network would further reinforce Maharashtra’s standing as a premier destination for global manufacturing and trade. Developments such as the Samruddhi Mahamarg expressway, the Navi Mumbai International Airport and the JNPA seaport are set to markedly enhance connectivity, allowing goods produced in Maharashtra to reach both domestic and overseas markets more swiftly.
“We are doing far more than turning Maharashtra’s cotton into textiles; we are shaping the future of a developed nation. Our goal is to witness ‘Made in Maharashtra’ labels gracing fashion outlets in London, New York and Paris before long,” he concluded.
