MANTRA and Yamuna Machines to Develop India’s First Indigenous Geo-Grid Coating Technology
July 07, 2026 | By Textile Sphere India
Approved under the National Technical Textile Mission (NTTM), the project will focus on designing, developing and manufacturing a world-class Geo-Grid Coating Line entirely within India
In a major step towards strengthening India’s self-reliance in advanced textile machinery, the Ministry of Textiles has approved a ₹14.92 crore project for the development of indigenous geo-grid coating technology. The project, sanctioned under the National Technical Textile Mission (NTTM), has been entrusted to the Surat-based Man Made Textiles Research Association (MANTRA) and Vapi-based Yamuna Machines Private Limited, reinforcing Gujarat’s growing role as a hub for technical textile innovation.
The initiative aims to design, develop, and manufacture a state-of-the-art Geo-Grid Coating Line entirely in India, reducing the country’s dependence on imported machinery from Germany, South Korea, the United States, and other advanced manufacturing nations. Industry estimates suggest that successful commercialization of the technology could help save imports worth ₹200–300 crore annually while generating substantial foreign exchange savings.
Geo-grids play a critical role in infrastructure development, finding applications in highways, railways, airports, ports, expressways, retaining walls, slope stabilization, and riverbank protection projects where soil reinforcement is essential.
The project seeks to establish a complete indigenous technology ecosystem by advancing the technology from Technology Readiness Level (TRL)-3 to TRL-8, paving the way for commercial-scale production of energy-efficient, high-performance, and globally competitive geo-grid coating machinery.
The research programme will be led by Dr. Pankaj Gandhi, Director, and Dr. Hitesh Jariwala, Deputy Director, MANTRA, while Madhubhai, Founder of Yamuna Machines Pvt. Ltd., will spearhead industrial design and manufacturing activities. The collaboration is expected to serve as a benchmark for industry-academia partnerships in advanced manufacturing.
Beyond machinery development, the project will create advanced facilities for product design, prototyping, testing, quality evaluation, and industrial validation. Industry experts believe the initiative will strengthen India’s technical textile ecosystem, boost exports, create employment opportunities, and support national programmes such as Make in India, Atmanirbhar Bharat, and Viksit Bharat, while positioning India as a global player in technical textile machinery manufacturing.
#TAGS MANTRA, Yamuna Machines, Technical Textile, geo grid, National Technical Textile Mission, NTTM, Geo-Grid Coating Line, Man Made Textiles Research Association, Surat, technical textile machinery manufacturing,