India has been spinning and weaving cotton for a long time. It is the second-largest producer of it in the world. The cotton textile industry supports the Indian economy. It is believed that the Indian cotton textile industry dates back to about 1500 BCE. Moreover, Indians started mixing animal hairs with cotton to make clothes in around 2000 BCE. Initially, Indian workers produced cotton completely by hand. The process of cotton harvesting is laborious. First, the plants are grown under proper climatic conditions, and then the cotton is handpicked, cleaned, spun, and woven. The Indian cotton textile industry employs thousands of skilled, professional, and unskilled workers. This greatly contributes to the Indian economy. 

History of India’s cotton textile industry

As stated earlier, the history of the cotton textile industry in India dates back to around 1500 BCE. The cotton textile industry was a primary source of exchange in the ancient period. 

The first Indian textile mill that was established at Fort Gloster in 1818 did not succeed. However, in 1854, KGN Daber established the second cotton textile mill named Bombay Spinning and Weaving Company. This was a successful industry and is considered the foundation of the modern Indian cotton textile industry. The establishment of the Shahpur mill in 1861 and Calico mill in 1863 are the reason Ahmedabad became a major zone of cotton production.

Let us study the Indian cotton textile industry in the context of its phases in brief.

Primary core: 1900–1920

• In World War I, supplies from all other countries had decreased. This led to the development and growth of the Indian industries. The Swadeshi movement launched by Indian National Congress in 1905 led to the demand and development of more Swadeshi products. This led to the growth of the cotton textile industry in India
• As the cost of land increased in Bombay, the textile industry spread to other parts. Ahmedabad, Surat, Kalyan, Thane, and Pune were some important centres. There was also a growth in trade unions at that time
• The Indian cotton textile industry had two-directional dispersion—northward and eastward. Towards the north, it grew in Delhi, whereas in the east, it developed in Telangana and the Deccan plateau
• The industry spread into different other states as well, like Kolkata and Nagpur

The cotton textile industry after Independence (after 1947)

• After Independence, India faced many problems due to the loss of cotton-producing areas. In 1971-72 several campaigns promoted the production of cotton textiles
• In 1988, the Central Institute of Cotton Research was established to develop cotton textiles in India. Several government measures and people’s efforts enabled the spread of the industry
• There was rapid growth in states like Punjab, Haryana, UP, and Delhi
• Hooghly was the major centre of cotton textile in West Bengal

Indian cotton textile industry in the present

• India is the second-largest producer of cotton globally. The industry provides employment to thousands of people
• Approximately 16% of industrial capital comes from here
• More than 20% of total industrial workers are in the cotton textile industry
• There are an estimated 188 public sectors and 2384 private sector cotton textile mills in the country
• The production of cotton textile is done in three sectors—mills, hand looms, and power-looms. The share of mills is significantly lower than the hand looms and power-looms
• Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, UP, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan, and Punjab are the states with the highest number of cotton textile mills in India 

Problems concerning the Indian cotton textile industry

The cotton textile industry is now found in most parts of the country. Some problems faced during the production and weaving of cotton are as follows.

• The most common problem in the Indian cotton textile industry is the shortage of high-quality raw materials
• To meet the shortage of raw materials, the imported materials from other countries increased the production cost of the cloth
• Most Indian mills have old and outdated machines. These machines have low efficiency and decrease productivity with inferior quality
• Power supply tends to be erratic, which severely affects the production of cotton
• There is low labour productivity as a result of periodic labour strikes

Conclusion

Cotton weaving and threading are some of the oldest human occupations in the world. India is the second-largest producer of cotton in the world. The cotton industry is spread across different states in India. Some problems the industry faces are lack of raw material, obsolete machinery, erratic power supply and low labour productivity.