With a focus on the difficulties affecting Kashmir’s handicraft sector and all-encompassing plans for its resuscitation, the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) team, headed by its president Javid Ahmad Tenga, had important talks with Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary of Textiles, Government of India.
Amrit Raj, Development Commissioner Handicrafts (DCH), was also present at the conference, which was a major step in addressing the sector’s dwindling exports and guaranteeing its sustained growth.
The chamber delegation includes Muzzafar Majid Jan, Member Executive Committee, and Fayaz Ahmad Punjabi, junior vice president, in addition to the president of the KCCI. The current crisis affecting the handicraft sector, which has seen a significant drop in exports and directly affects thousands of artisan families throughout the Kashmir valley, was thoroughly examined by them. The team underlined how the decline jeopardises not only the artisan communities’ capacity to make a living, but also the centuries-old artistic traditions that have been a defining feature of Kashmiri culture.
Secretary Rao responded to the KCCI’s concerns in a constructive and upbeat manner. The Secretary’s pledge to support an international exposition in Srinagar, which is planned for September–October 2025, was one of the meeting’s main outcomes. This exhibition, which will be co-organized by KCCI and many craft councils, intends to give regional handicraft producers and exporters a stage on which to present their goods to buyers throughout the world and build direct relationships with the market.
The delegation presented a thorough plan for setting up a centre or market in Kashmir that would meet international standards. Kashmir might become a significant hub for the handicraft trade thanks to this permanent facility, which would provide a year-round platform for craft exhibitions, buyer-seller meetings, and cultural exchanges.
The importance of educating craftspeople about contemporary market demands while maintaining traditional methods received a lot of attention during the talks. The significance of engaging future generations in these legacy trades through technological integration, design interventions, and skill development programs was emphasised during the discussion. Both parties acknowledged the pressing need to improve Geographical Indication (GI) tagging’s staffing and infrastructure in order to preserve Kashmir’s distinctive craft identity.
Within the following three years, the KCCI aims to boost Kashmir’s handicraft exports to US $ 345 million (Rs 3,000 crore). Increased involvement in national and international trade shows would help reach this goal.
Secretary Rao gave the delegation the assurance that the Textile Ministry would assist in resolving these issues and carrying out the suggested projects.
