The Ministry of Textiles has announced a significant advancement towards technological self-reliance with the successful development of three indigenous thermal testing instruments under the National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM).
Developed by the Northern India Textile Research Association (NITRA), the instruments — Convective Heat Tester (ISO 9151), Radiant Heat Tester (ISO 6942) and Contact (Conductive) Heat Tester (IS 12127) — are designed to assess the heat resistance of protective textiles used in firefighting gear, industrial safety apparel and defence applications, where thermal protection is critical.
In a statement, the Ministry said the systems were developed entirely using indigenous design and technology, offering performance comparable to imported models at a fraction of the cost. Priced between Rs. 5–10 lakh (US $ 5,600 – US $ 11,000), the instruments are significantly more affordable than imported alternatives, which typically cost Rs. 15–40 lakh (US $ 17,000 – US $ 45,000). The Ministry added that this reduction in cost and lead time would enable greater access to high-quality testing facilities for a wider range of industries and institutions.
The technology has been successfully transferred to Ghaziabad-based Asian Test Equipment Pvt. Ltd. for commercialisation, in alignment with the Government’s Make in India initiative. The instruments have already been installed and validated at Ace Incorporation, Kanpur and the Centre for Fire, Explosive and Environment Safety (CFEES), DRDO, Delhi and are now commercially available on platforms such as Trade India, IndiaMART and Alibaba.
According to the Ministry, indigenous availability has significantly reduced testing duration — from around 30 days to just 3–5 days — and lowered testing costs from Rs. 25,000–Rs. 40,000 (US $ 281 – US $ 450) per sample to Rs. 6,000–Rs. 10,000 (US $ 68 – US $ 112), thereby improving access for Indian manufacturers and research organisations.
Leading research institutions, including CFEES and DRDO, have reported satisfactory performance, affirming the instruments’ reliability and efficiency. NITRA noted that the equipment was developed using extensive field experience with imported systems to ensure world-class performance standards while promoting technological self-reliance.
The Ministry emphasised that the successful completion of this NTTM-funded project represents a major step towards strengthening India’s technical textiles infrastructure, contributing to the national vision of innovation, sustainability and self-reliance in the sector.
