CM promises full government support as new Industrial Policy 2026 aims to boost investment, jobs and exports

Entrepreneurs were urged by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Tuesday to invest in the state's textile sector, and full government support was promised to them. The Punjab State Pavilion was inaugurated by Mann, and the Punjab Session at BharatTex 2026 in New Delhi was addressed by him, where the state's case as India's most promising textile investment destination was laid out.

A new Industrial and Business Development Policy 2026 has been rolled out by the Punjab government to increase investment, employment, and exports in the textile sector. The policy was designed by officials after stakeholders across the industry were consulted. Approvals are now run through Single Window and Single Pen systems by the state, and a fixed timeline for every clearance is guaranteed to entrepreneurs. Mann said that ₹2 lakh crore in investment has already been attracted by his government, and five lakh jobs have been created over the past four years. A "Red Card" system was credited by him for protecting industries from official harassment, and it was said that years of treating industrialists "as ATMs" under previous governments have been ended by the state. It was highlighted by Mann that the entire textile production process is covered by Punjab within its own borders — from cotton cultivation and spinning to fabric manufacturing, knitting, processing, and exports. This integrated ecosystem was called by him a rare advantage that is matched by few regions in the world.

Nearly 4% of India's textile and apparel exports are contributed by the state, and more than USD 1.2 billion worth of textiles were shipped in FY 2024-25 to markets including the United States, the UAE, and the UK. This success was attributed by Mann to decades of work done by farmers, entrepreneurs, MSMEs, and industrial pioneers. Several major textile companies based in Punjab were also named by him, including Vardhman, Sanathan Textiles, Nahar, Monte Carlo, Ganga Acrowool, Sportking, Shingora, and Octave. Ludhiana was singled out by Mann as North India's largest apparel and knitwear cluster, and it was noted that almost 90% of India's woolen knitwear and nearly 65% of the country's hosiery are produced by the city.

It was reiterated by Mann that first place in Ease of Doing Business is held by Punjab, and the Right to Business Act was passed by the state first. It was said by him that entrepreneurs are now treated as partners rather than outsiders by the government, and reasonable power tariffs and available land were pointed to by him as key draws for investors. It was also revealed by him that leasing trains from the Railways is being considered by the government to strengthen industrial growth, and Punjab's five power generation plants were referenced, which are supplied by 70 lakh metric tons of coal annually from the state's dedicated mine in Pachwara.

Mohali was described by Mann as emerging as "India's second Silicon Valley," and a complete tech ecosystem within a five-kilometer radius was cited by him. On the textile front, opportunities in technical textiles, industrial textiles, medical textiles, protective textiles, geotextiles, sustainable fibres, smart fabrics, functional apparel, and high-performance sportswear were pointed to by him.

Platforms like Invest Punjab and the FastTrack Punjab Portal were credited by him with simplifying approvals and cutting compliance burdens for industry, and it was stressed that partnerships among industry, academia, research institutions, and skill-development agencies are required for competitiveness. Industrial growth was framed by Mann as more than an economic goal. It was said by him that livelihoods for lakhs of families are supported by the sector, opportunities for women are created by it, and Punjab was called on by him to diversify its export basket and integrate further into global value chains. The event was also attended by Cabinet Minister Aman Arora.