Jammu, September 18, 2026: Jammu and Kashmir is targeting a significant expansion in its handicraft and handloom exports, with the Union Territory aiming to increase textile and apparel exports from the present base of around Rs 800 crore to Rs 2,000 crore by 2030.
Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo chaired a meeting on Thursday to review the newly framed Action Plan for Promotion of Export of Handicrafts and Handloom Products, which outlines a strategic roadmap for strengthening the region’s export ecosystem.
The meeting was attended by Commissioner Secretary, Industries & Commerce; Directors of Handicrafts & Handloom for Kashmir and Jammu; Managing Director, J&K Handicrafts (Sales & Export) Corporation; Director, Indian Institute of Carpet Technology (IICT); representatives from NIFT and other concerned officers.
Focus on Competitive Strengths and Export Potential
Dulloo directed the Industries and Commerce Department to undertake a detailed assessment of the sector’s strengths, competitive advantages and existing challenges before finalising the implementation framework.
He called for challenges requiring immediate intervention to be identified and for Jammu and Kashmir’s competitive advantages to be effectively leveraged to promote exports of high-value craft products.
The Chief Secretary also called for a year-wise strategy up to 2030, supported by clearly defined targets, measurable milestones and timelines to track progress towards the Rs 2,000-crore export objective.
He further directed the department to prepare a comprehensive plan covering capacity building, infrastructure development, cluster creation and better organisation of artisans and craftsmen.
The plan will also examine Central Government incentives and schemes while developing UT-specific interventions suited to Jammu and Kashmir’s requirements.
Emphasising the importance of reliable planning, Dulloo said the assessments and projections supporting the Action Plan should be scientific, evidence-based and backed by robust data.
Export Framework to Cover UT and District Levels
Commissioner Secretary, Industries & Commerce, Vikramjit Singh, presented the broad strategic framework for 2026–2030.
The framework seeks to align the national export vision with coordinated interventions at the UT and district levels. It includes a State Export Action Plan (SEAP) and District Export Action Plans (DEAPs), with proposed measures tailored to the competitive strengths of individual districts.
Singh also highlighted Jammu and Kashmir’s performance in the national Export Preparedness Index, noting that the UT had moved from 36th position in 2020 to 2nd position in 2024 among Small States, North-Eastern States and Union Territories.
15,000 Registered Exporters Targeted
Director, Handicrafts & Handloom, Kashmir, Mussarat Islam, outlined several targets under the proposed Action Plan.
The strategy aims to increase the active registered exporter base to 15,000 by 2030, compared with 269 active RCMC exporters at present and a potential pipeline of around 1,000 users.
The plan also proposes 100 per cent GI-QR tagging of exports to strengthen product authenticity and traceability. Another target is to facilitate Rs 100 crore in e-commerce exports through digital onboarding and market-access initiatives.
The department has also proposed increasing Free Trade Agreement (FTA) utilisation to more than 50 per cent, compared with the current level of below 20 per cent.
Phased Measures for Export Growth
The Action Plan divides interventions into immediate, medium-term and long-term phases.
Immediate priorities for the next 0–2 years include scaling up the Artisan Credit Card, establishing Export Textile Planning Cells under Tex-RAMPS and launching the unified “Soulful J&K” GI branding campaign.
Medium-term measures over 2–4 years include introducing ESG and EUDR compliance certifications for more than 100 manufacturing units and establishing raw material banks to strengthen production capacity and supply chains.
The plan also seeks to leverage key Ministry of Textiles schemes, including RoSCTL (Rebate of State and Central Taxes and Levies) and SAMARTH, which focuses on capacity building in the textile sector.
In addition, the J&K Export Subsidy Scheme, 2021 is proposed to support export competitiveness. Under the scheme, eligible exporters can receive an export subsidy of 10 per cent, subject to a maximum of Rs 5 crore per exporter.
The proposed roadmap aims to combine traditional craftsmanship with improved infrastructure, compliance, digital market access and stronger export networks to expand the global reach of Jammu and Kashmir’s handicraft and handloom products by 2030.
