The domestic textile industry is set to reach a level of $ 115 billion by 2012 with an expected growth rate of 16 percent in value terms, union minister of state for textiles, E V K S Elangovan said here on June 18.

The minister while speaking at the inaugural ceremony of an International Conference on Advances in Textiles, Machinery, Non-woven and Technical textiles here in the city pointed out that the Indian textile industry has been accelerated to an annual growth of 9-10 percent.

However, the present growth can be fueled by both exports as well as a rise in domestic consumption, resulting in India’s share in the global textile and clothing trade moving up from the current three per cent to seven per cent by 2012.

Also, the global trade of textile and clothing products with growing at the rate of 8 percent is set to double from $ 353 billion in 2002 to $ 655 billion by 2010. The domestic textile exports have increased from $ 12.45 billion in 2002-03 to $ 17.85 billion in 2005-06.

Further, the exports are estimated at $ 19.24 billion in 2006-07, while the exports are projected to grow at a rate of 22 percent between 2007 and 2012 and are targeted to reach $ 55 billion by 2012.

Earlier, the total investment in the textile industry between 2004-07 which was around Rs 64,478 crore in India is expected to reach Rs 1,50,600 crore by 2012 and the enhanced investment would generate 17.37 million jobs by 2012.