The Bombay Textile Research Association (BTRA) and the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish India’s first 120 TPA Carbon Fiber Technology Demonstration Plant at PM MITRA Park, Amravati, in a step toward strengthening India’s advanced materials and technical textiles sector.
The MoU was exchanged between Dr. P Anbalagan, IAS, principal secretary (Industries, Investment & Services), Government of Maharashtra, and Dr. TV Sreekumar, director, BTRA, in the presence of Dr. Sharad Kumar Saraf, chairman, BTRA.
The project will create a National Centre for Carbon Fiber Technology Development. The center will include a carbon fiber technology demonstration plant, an advanced research and development center, a modern testing and characterization laboratory, a technology validation and scale-up facility, a skill development and training center, and a platform for industry support and technology transfer.
The facility is intended to bridge the gap between laboratory research and commercial production by supporting pilot-scale manufacturing, product development, process validation, and technology transfer. It is expected to promote the use of indigenous carbon fiber technology by Indian industries.
Carbon fiber is an advanced material used in sectors such as aerospace, defence, automotive, renewable energy, railways, infrastructure, hydrogen storage, and sports equipment. The project is expected to reduce India’s dependence on imports, strengthen domestic manufacturing, save foreign exchange, and enhance the country’s strategic capabilities.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. TV Sreekumar said the initiative would promote research, innovation, and industry–academia collaboration, support startups and MSMEs, and help develop skilled manpower for the advanced composites sector.
The initiative is aligned with the Government of India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India vision, and the PM MITRA Scheme. It also reinforces Maharashtra’s position as a destination for advanced manufacturing, research, and innovation, while strengthening BTRA’s contribution to research, testing, consultancy, and technology development in textiles and technical textiles.
