BTRA, MIDC Sign MoU to Establish India’s First 120 TPA Carbon Fibre Demonstration Plant at PM MITRA Park
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 tonnes per annum (TPA) Carbon Fibre Technology Demonstration Plant at the PM MITRA Park in Amravati, Maharashtra.
The agreement marks a significant step in strengthening India’s advanced materials and technical textiles ecosystem while supporting indigenous carbon fibre technology development and high-performance manufacturing.
The MoU was formally exchanged between Dr. P. Anbalagan, IAS, Principal Secretary (Industries, Investment & Services), Government of Maharashtra, and Dr. T. V. Sreekumar, Director, BTRA, in the presence of Dr. Sharad Kumar Saraf, Chairman, BTRA.
The proposed facility will function as a National Centre for Carbon Fibre Technology Development, bringing together pilot-scale production, research, testing, technology validation, skill development, and industry support under one integrated platform.
The centre will include:
- A 120 TPA Carbon Fibre Technology Demonstration Plant
- An Advanced Research & Development (R&D) Centre
- A World-Class Testing & Characterization Laboratory
- A Technology Validation and Scale-up Facility
- A Skill Development & Training Centre
- An Industry Support and Technology Transfer Platform
The project has been designed to bridge the gap between laboratory-scale research and commercial manufacturing by enabling pilot-scale production, process validation, product development, and industrial adoption of indigenous carbon fibre technology.
Carbon fibre is considered one of the world’s most strategic advanced materials, with applications across aerospace, defence, automotive, renewable energy, railways, infrastructure, hydrogen storage, pressure vessels, sports equipment, and other high-performance engineering sectors.
The demonstration plant is expected to reduce India’s dependence on imported carbon fibre, promote import substitution, conserve foreign exchange, and strengthen domestic manufacturing capabilities for strategic industries.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. T. V. Sreekumar, Director, BTRA, said the initiative would accelerate indigenous technology development, encourage collaboration between industry and academia, support startups and MSMEs, and help build a skilled workforce for India’s emerging advanced composites sector.
The project aligns with the Government of India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat, Make in India, and PM MITRA Scheme initiatives, which aim to promote innovation, high-value manufacturing, and sustainable industrial development.
The collaboration also reinforces Maharashtra’s position as a hub for advanced manufacturing, research, and innovation, while strengthening BTRA’s seven-decade contribution to the textile, technical textile, testing, consultancy, and technology development sectors.
Officials said the initiative is expected to accelerate indigenous carbon fibre manufacturing and strengthen India’s position in the global advanced composites industry by creating an ecosystem for research, innovation, technology demonstration, testing, and skill development.
The MoU lays the foundation for India’s first carbon fibre technology demonstration facility under the PM MITRA Scheme and is expected to support long-term growth in strategic manufacturing sectors while enhancing the country’s technological self-reliance.
