Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Tuesday made a strong pitch for Punjab as India’s most promising destination for textile investment, asserting that the state offers immense opportunities across the entire textile value chain and provides a transparent, industry-friendly ecosystem for entrepreneurs. Inaugurating the Punjab State Pavilion and addressing the Punjab Session at BharatTex 2026 in New Delhi, the Chief Minister said the Punjab Government has introduced a new Industrial and Business Development Policy to boost investment, employment and exports, while ensuring time-bound approvals through the Single Window and Single Pen systems.
Highlighting that Punjab has attracted ₹2 lakh crore of investment and generated five lakh employment opportunities in the last four years, Bhagwant Singh Mann said the government treats entrepreneurs as partners in the state’s growth, has ended bureaucratic harassment through the Red Card system, and is committed to making Punjab the country’s preferred destination for advanced textile manufacturing and industrial investment.
Addressing the Punjab State Session during BharatTex 2026, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “Industrialists were earlier treated as ATMs by the successive state governments, but the AAP government has made them an equal partner in the socio-economic progress of the state. Punjabis have been blessed with an indomitable spirit of hard work, dedication and patriotism. Due to these qualities, Punjabis have proved their mettle in every sphere. The sole aim of recalling these things is to keep our younger generations abreast with the glorious and rich cultural and historic legacy of the state,” he said.
The Chief Minister said, “Today, Punjab has the best entrepreneurial culture, best manufacturing capability, best skilled workforce, integrated value chain and strategic location. I give a clarion call to the industry leaders, investors, innovators, global brands and technology companies to become partners in Punjab’s next growth journey. Punjab has five power generation plants and 70 lakh Metric Ton Coal is used by the state from its dedicated coal mine in Pachwara to produce power.”
Reiterating that industrial development can be achieved only through close cooperation between the government and industry, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann stated, “I firmly believe that the industrial sector can progress only when the government and industry work shoulder to shoulder. Therefore, investors and entrepreneurs are among the key architects of Punjab’s industrial future. Punjab’s robust investment ecosystem offers reasonable power tariffs, land facilities and a welcoming environment for investors. Punjab ranks number one in Ease of Doing Business, with an efficient Single Window system operating transparently. Due to strenuous efforts of the state government, Punjab has become the first state to pass the Right to Business Act.”
Describing Punjab as the “Land of Opportunities”, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “Punjab is the ‘Land of Opportunities,’ with world-acclaimed companies eager to establish operations here. Earlier, industrialists were arm twisted by leaders for getting share in their ventures due to its industry fled from the state and Punjab lagged behind in the field of economic development thereby jeopardizing its progress and prosperity. After assuming charge in 2022 the state government led by me has taken several revolutionary and path breaking initiatives due to which Punjab has now emerged as frontrunner in every field.”
Welcoming delegates to the Punjab State Session at BharatTex 2026, the Chief Minister said, “BharatTex is not merely an exhibition of products but a platform where India’s textile future is being imagined, partnerships are being forged and new opportunities are taking shape. Punjab is participating as a Partner State, because textiles are not merely an industry for the state but they are a part of the identity, heritage and economic strength of the state. For generations, Punjab has woven not just fabrics, but livelihoods, entrepreneurship and prosperity.”
The Chief Minister said Punjab is standing at the beginning of a new chapter that builds upon its traditional strengths while embracing technology, sustainability, innovation and global competitiveness. He said the state has a unique advantage as it possesses a complete textile value chain, enabling every stage of textile production to be carried out within Punjab itself. “From cotton cultivation to spinning, from yarn to fabrics, from knitting and processing to garments and from manufacturing to exports, Punjab possesses something that very few regions in the world can claim. This is a complete textile value chain. Punjab offers an integrated ecosystem where the entire textile journey can happen within one State,” he said.
Highlighting the contribution of farmers, entrepreneurs, MSMEs, workers and industrial pioneers, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “This integrated ecosystem has been built over decades through the hard work of our farmers, entrepreneurs, MSMEs, workers and industrial pioneers. Today, Punjab continues to be one of India’s leading textile destinations and the state contributes nearly 4% of India’s textile and apparel exports, with textile exports of over USD 1.2 billion during FY 2024-25. The products of the state reach customers across the world including the United States, UAE, UK and many other global markets. This demonstrates not only the quality of our products but also the confidence that global buyers place in Punjab’s manufacturing capabilities.”
The Chief Minister said Punjab is home to some of India’s most iconic textile companies, including Vardhman, Sanathan Textiles, Nahar, Monte Carlo, Ganga Acrowool, Sportking, Shingora and Octave, all of which have established global benchmarks in quality and innovation. He said thousands of MSMEs form the backbone of Punjab’s textile economy and their entrepreneurial spirit has transformed the state into one of India’s strongest manufacturing ecosystems. “When people think of Punjab’s textile industry, one city which immediately comes to mind is Ludhiana, which is the largest apparel and knitwear cluster in North India. It is a matter of immense pride and satisfaction that the city contributes almost 90% of India’s woolen knitwear and nearly 65% of the country’s hosiery production,” he said.
The Chief Minister said Punjab sees tremendous opportunities in Technical Textiles, Industrial Textiles, Medical Textiles, Protective Textiles, Geotextiles, Sustainable Fibres, Smart Fabrics, Functional Apparel, High-Performance Sportswear, as well as research and innovation. He said the state has internationally recognised manufacturing clusters and generations of skilled entrepreneurs and workers who understand the textile sector better than anyone else. “The Government of Punjab is fully committed to creating an ecosystem that enables the next phase of industrial growth. The state government has recently launched Punjab Industrial and Business Development Policy 2026, which has been drafted meticulously after deliberations with the stakeholders,” he said.
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said his government is supporting industries through improved infrastructure, investor facilitation, reliable power, skill development, innovation and export promotion. He said Invest Punjab and the FastTrack Punjab Portal are simplifying approvals, reducing compliance burden and ensuring faster, transparent and time-bound services for industry. He added that competitiveness can only be achieved through partnership among industry, academia, research institutions, technology providers and skill development agencies.
“Punjab has always been an outward-looking economy and the state government wants to help industrialists move beyond traditional markets, diversify their export basket and integrate more deeply into global value chains. Industry is not merely about production but it is about people and it provides livelihoods to lakhs of families, thereby creating opportunities for women. This is the need of the hour to empower MSMEs, promote innovation, strengthen exports and above all contribute significantly to inclusive economic growth,” the Chief Minister added.
On the occasion, Cabinet Minister Aman Arora and others were also present
