India Aims to Be World's No. 1 Silk Producer by 2028-29

The target

The Union Government wants India to become the world's largest silk producer by 2028-29. Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh set out the goal on 20 September 2026 in Bengaluru, where he and Minister of State Shobha Karandlaje opened the Central Silk Board's 77th Foundation Day programme and an exhibition of silk products and technologies at the UAS-GKVK auditorium.

Where production stands

According to the minister, India produced 26,000 metric tonnes of silk in 2014 and produces 42,000 metric tonnes today. The next milestone is 60,000 metric tonnes by 2030-31. Padmini Singla, Joint Secretary (Silk) in the Ministry of Textiles and Vice Chairperson of the Board, said that target will be chased with high-yielding silkworm hybrids and new machinery, while AI, GIS and machine learning are being brought in to check quality and raise capacity.

What is planned for farmers

The minister said better mulberry leaf yields and more cocoon-rearing cycles in a year could lift a silk farmer's annual income to between ₹10 lakh and ₹12 lakh. He called for 'Best Silk Farmer' award competitions at the district, state and national levels to spur sericulture farmers on, and said new research, hybrid varieties and modern machinery must reach farmers directly.

He also pointed to the market. Demand for Indian silk is growing abroad at a time when China's output is falling, he said. The government's priorities are to strengthen every link in the chain, from rearing silkworms through reeling to weaving, to take India's textile market to 300 billion dollars, and to give weavers and workers a floor of economic security.

Karnataka's lead

Shobha Karandlaje said Karnataka holds the leading position in India's total silk production. She said the government is backing the sector with infrastructure and industrial development and is encouraging silk of global export quality through modern technology and high-density production, which should raise domestic output and cut reliance on imports. Many entrepreneurs are registering under the MSME framework, she added, and subsidy and quality improvement schemes are being run to support them.

Other announcements

During the programme the Board exchanged MoUs with several organisations, handed appointment letters to 28 scientists, gave awards to outstanding employees and stakeholders and released its publications. Silk farmers and weavers from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu attended.

For the exam

Keep the figures together: 26,000 tonnes in 2014, 42,000 tonnes now, 60,000 tonnes targeted for 2030-31, and the world No. 1 goal set for 2028-29. Also remember the leading silk-producing state named at the event, Karnataka, and the occasion, the Central Silk Board's 77th Foundation Day.