Indian textile manufacturer Sutlej Textiles and Industries Limited has appointed Narinder Thapa as Chief Business Officer for its Protech Business, effective 25th February 2026, as part of efforts to strengthen its presence in the technical textiles segment.

The appointment brings more than three decades of industry experience into the company’s leadership team. Thapa has held senior roles across protective garments marketing, operations management, product development and supply chain functions, with a focus on human protection textiles.

Prior to joining Sutlej Textiles, Thapa served as Chief Business Officer for the Human Protection Textile Division at Arvind Advanced Materials, where he was directly involved in the protective textiles domain. His experience is expected to support Sutlej’s strategic expansion and operational efficiency in the Protech segment, which encompasses specialised and performance-driven textile applications.

The Protech business, commonly associated with technical textiles and protective apparel, represents a high-growth category within both the Indian and global textile industries. Industry estimates indicate that India’s technical textiles market is emerging as a sunrise sector, driven by rising demand from industrial, infrastructure and safety-focused applications.

The Indian industrial protective clothing market is projected to reach approximately US $ 807.1 million by 2030, expanding at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.2%. Against this backdrop, Sutlej’s leadership reinforcement signals its intent to capture a larger share of the expanding value-added textiles market.

The company is expected to focus on scaling innovation, improving operational alignment and enhancing market penetration under the new leadership structure.