Divya Delhi: The EU and the Ministry of Textiles have started seven new projects to improve India's textile and handicraft industry. The projects began on the margins of Bharat Tex on Saturday. These activities across the whole value chain aim to support inclusive growth, resource efficiency, and sustainability in the Indian textile sector, along with driving livelihoods and women's economic empowerment, stated EU delegation to India in the press release.These seven projects, spanning the entire value chain, will be implemented across nine states across India – Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, and Haryana, with 35,000 direct beneficiaries, including 15,000 MSMEs, 5,000 artisans, 15,000 farmer-producers, over the next 3 to 5 years.The press statement says that these projects will also help local communities and industries, economically empowering about 200,000 women and creating a more sustainable, inclusive, and prosperous textile ecosystem.This project builds on the EU's existing partnership with India on sustainability and circular economy, harmonizing with the Ministry of Textiles' "Sustainable Bharat Mission for Textiles." The funding, part of the EU’s Global Gateway Strategy, complements the ongoing EU-India Resource Efficiency Circular Economy initiative, co-funded by the German Federal Ministry , and is executed jointly with the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, Government of India, and being implemented by,” Delegation of the  to India announced in a press release.The projects, which will be managed with government and private sector partners, aim to conserve Indian textile culture and develop economic self-sufficiency through innovation, competitiveness, and market connections.