Gandhinagar, Oct 22 — Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi on Thursday invited South Korean textile major Youngone Corporation to explore investments and joint ventures in the state, with the proposed 1,142-acre PM MITRA textile park in Navsari emerging as a potential base for cooperation between the two sides.
The invitation was extended during a meeting with Youngone Corporation President Jae-young Park and senior company officials in South Korea's Daegu, where a high-level state delegation is visiting as part of preparations for the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit.
The delegation arrived in South Korea after a visit to Japan aimed at strengthening international partnerships.
Youngone, which operates in outdoor sportswear, performance garments and textile manufacturing, has a global workforce of around one lakh people and is a major producer of high-quality fabrics and synthetic materials.
Sanghavi highlighted Gujarat's position in India's textile industry, saying that the state accounts for around one-third of the country's man-made fibre production and nearly 65 per cent of its denim production.
"Gujarat had an integrated textile value chain, extending from cotton cultivation to spinning, fabric manufacturing and ready-made garments," the Deputy CM said.
He also invited Youngone's representatives to attend the upcoming Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit and visit the state's textile clusters to explore investment opportunities.
The proposed PM MITRA Textile Park in Navsari, spread across around 1,142 acres, was presented as a potential destination for Korean investment.
The park is intended to bring spinning, weaving, processing, technical textiles and garment manufacturing together within an integrated ecosystem.
Sanghavi also highlighted Gujarat's industrial policies and connectivity through Surat International Airport, Hazira Port and the Dedicated Freight Corridor as factors that could support manufacturing and exports.
Earlier on Thursday, the Gujarat delegation, led by Sanghavi, participated in the Gujarat-Korea Textile Industry Cooperation Roundtable at the Korea Textile Development Institute (KTDI) in Daegu, a major textile industry hub in South Korea.
The meeting focused on technical exchanges, business cooperation and potential investments, particularly in textile machinery and fabric manufacturing.
Addressing the roundtable, Sanghavi said: "Textiles are woven into Gujarat's identity. From cotton fields to spinning mills, and from Ahmedabad's denim to Surat's synthetic fabrics, Gujarat connects the entire value chain—from farm to fibre, factory to fashion and foreign markets."
The Deputy CM added, "Korea has exceptional expertise in advanced technology, advanced fibres and performance materials, while Gujarat has extensive manufacturing capacity and an integrated supply chain. Korean innovation and Gujarat's entrepreneurial skills can together create a new revolution in the global textile sector."
Referring to the Navsari project, Sanghavi said it would offer Korean companies a platform for cooperation and investment by bringing different stages of textile production under one roof.
"We have not come merely to extend a formal invitation to Korean entrepreneurs; we are keen to listen to their needs and move forward together. Visit Gujarat, and let us weave a new chapter in India-Korea friendship through innovation and sustainable growth," he added.
The roundtable began with a visit by Sanghavi and the delegation to KTDI's research and development facilities, pilot facilities, and testing and analysis centre.
Youngone Corporation President Jae-young Park welcomed the participants, while Nishikant Singh, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Indian Embassy in Seoul, delivered the opening remarks on bilateral trade relations.
Mamata Verma, Additional Chief Secretary of the Industries and Mines Department, presented an overview of Gujarat's textile industry, infrastructure, policies and opportunities for Korean companies.
The delegation also held discussions with Korean manufacturers on potential areas of collaboration.
Gujarat government officials attending the meeting included Industries Commissioner P Swaroop; Arvind V, Joint Secretary (Budget) in the Finance Department; Joint Industries Commissioner Kanak Der and Deputy Chief Minister's Secretary Ashish Kumar.
Representatives of Youngone Corporation and KTDI attended alongside eight textile machinery companies, including Mikwang, Ace, Samil, Wooyang and Ilsung, and four fabric manufacturing companies—Haewon Trading, Bohyun Textile, Dongjin and Hyundai Chemical Fibre.
Around 28 delegates, including company heads and chief executive officers, participated in the roundtable.