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NTTM Drives Self-Reliance: Indigenous Thermal Testing Instruments Cut Costs And Time For Protective Textiles

• By  Textile Excellence
• November 12, 2025

The National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM) is significantly strengthening India’s high value protective textiles segment by fostering a new era of indigenous technological self-reliance. A pivotal development, spearheaded by the Northern India Textile Research Association (NITRA) with support from the Ministry of Textiles, has resulted in the successful creation of three state-of-the-art instruments for evaluating critical thermal resistance properties. These precision systems such as the Convective Heat Tester (ISO 9151), Radiant Heat Tester (ISO 6942), and Contact (Conductive) Heat Tester (IS 12127) are essential for quality assurance in high performance applications such as fire-fighter suits, industrial safety gear, and defence apparel.

This Make in India initiative marks a transformative moment for Indian industry stakeholders seeking to make data driven decisions. Previously, reliance on imported equipment meant instruments were priced steeply between ₹15–40 lakh. The new, domestically developed models are available at a fraction of the cost, ranging from a highly accessible ₹5–10 lakh, representing a cost reduction of up to 75%. Furthermore, the commercial availability of this technology is a game changer for manufacturing speed and market access. Testing duration has plummeted from approximately 30 days to a mere 3–5 days, drastically improving time to market.

Crucially, the cost of testing a single sample has dropped from a prohibitive ₹25,000–₹40,000 to a highly competitive ₹6,000–₹10,000. With the technology already successfully transferred for commercial production and validated at institutions like CFEES, DRDO, Indian manufacturers now possess the necessary, affordable infrastructure to compete globally and make rapid, data driven decisions on protective textile quality. This move firmly establishes India’s technological capability in this niche, high value segment.

This Make in India initiative marks a transformative moment for Indian industry stakeholders seeking to make data driven decisions. Previously, reliance on imported equipment meant instruments were priced steeply between ₹15–40 lakh. The new, domestically developed models are available at a fraction of the cost, ranging from a highly accessible ₹5–10 lakh, representing a cost reduction of up to 75%.