Itanagar, April 23: The Arunachal Pradesh government has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) to advance the state’s textile and handicraft sector.

The agreement was signed by Department of Textiles and Handicrafts commissioner Mimum Tayeng and EPCH executive director Rajesh Rawat in the presence of state minister Nyato Dukuma and other officials.

According to the official statement, the collaboration will focus on skill development through structured capacity-building programmes, product diversification aligned with global trends, and improved branding and packaging of traditional crafts. It also seeks to enhance artisans’ participation in national and international trade fairs, thereby creating sustainable livelihood opportunities through stronger market linkages.

Minister Dukuma expressed confidence that the partnership would empower artisans and promote Arunachal Pradesh’s handicrafts on the global stage. Tayeng highlighted the state’s rich heritage of bamboo, cane, textiles, and tribal artefacts, noting that the initiative would strengthen design innovation, capacity building, and market access.

Rawat reaffirmed EPCH’s commitment to supporting the state in building a sustainable, export-oriented handicrafts ecosystem, with emphasis on product development, quality enhancement, and export readiness. EPCH-NER regional convenor Jesmina Zeliang underscored the importance of market linkages and exposure to trade platforms, stressing that such opportunities would help artisans become globally competitive.