CITI was established in March 1958. In 1967, it was registered as a company under Section 25 of the Companies Act, which now falls under Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013. In May 2005, it was broad-based to represent the entire textile sector.
CITI, being one of the leading industry chambers of the textile and clothing sector in India, represents major regional and industry associations covering the entire textile value chain—from farm to garments, made-ups, and the textile machinery industry. It is the only national association that covers the entire spectrum of the textile and clothing industry, spanning both domestic and export markets. CITI has signed MoUs with eighteen major international textile associations to promote textile trade and investment. It directly and indirectly serves an industry that connects millions of farmers, a workforce of over 100 million, and 1.3 billion consumers. The cumulative annual turnover of CITI members is around USD 30 billion (i.e., over Rs.2 lakh crore).
CITI acts as an interface between the Government of India and the industry. It supports the textile and clothing sector by providing policy inputs, strengthening associations, building capacity, creating awareness, and contributing to policy formulation that enhances the industry’s growth potential.
CITI has a subsidiary body called the CITI–Cotton Development and Research Association (CITI–CDRA), which has been supporting cotton extension and seed development activities across different parts of the country since 1969. At present, CITI–CDRA is actively working with cotton farmers in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra to enhance both the quality and quantity of cotton production while simultaneously reducing cultivation costs.
Since 2023–24, CITI–CDRA has also been the lead implementing partner of a special project on cotton, initiated by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and with the support from Ministry of Textiles under the NFSM. This project, implemented in Public–Private Partnership (PPP) mode, aims to scale up three key cotton technologies—High Density Planting System (HDPS), Closer Spacing, and Extra-Long Staple (ELS)—to significantly increase productivity, along with the Market linkage Support.
CITI, as a founding member of the National Skill Development Corporation (established on July 31, 2008) and a promoter of the Textile Sector Skill Council (formed on August 22, 2014 under the aegis of NSDC), plays a pioneering role in creating and enhancing the availability of a skilled workforce for the sector.
CITI established the Young Entrepreneurs Group (YEG) in March 2003, comprising young entrepreneurs from the industry holding executive positions.
CITI remains committed to driving sustainable growth, and shaping the future of India’s textile and clothing industry by fostering growth, innovation, and global competitiveness