Summary
India has preserved its handloom weaving traditions, with millions still engaged in the craft, but the workforce is shrinking and weavers face economic precarity. Despite India producing 95% of the world's handloom products, exports are minimal, and the average value added per worker is low, largely due to insufficient workdays. The article emphasizes that policy interventions should focus on increasing paid workdays and ensuring a greater share of value reaches the artisans, especially given that women constitute 72% of the handloom workforce.
