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- To the world — by thread: deputies and the Cabinet of Ministers will develop measures to support the light industry
To the world — by thread: deputies and the Cabinet of Ministers will develop measures to support the light industry
The deputies, together with the Cabinet of Ministers, will prepare amendments to legislation in support of the domestic light industry. This will be handled by a working group created on behalf of the Speaker of the State Duma during parliamentary hearings on January 29. Business, parliamentarians, representatives of the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Economic Development discussed topical issues of the industry, including increasing market transparency, developing their own raw materials and reducing the tax burden. To solve these and other problems, Chairman of the BTK Group Supervisory Board Taimuraz Bolloev proposed the creation of a state program for the integrated development of the light industry. Details can be found in the Izvestia article.
What problems need to be solved in the light industry
The discussion of the problems of light industry in the State Duma on January 29 became one of the largest parliamentary events in recent times. About 1,000 people took part in the hearings, including the entire leadership of parliament, heads of key ministries (Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Economic Development, Ministry of Industry), Rospotrebnadzor, FAS, business representatives, governors, rectors of educational institutions.
According to State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, the event was prepared jointly with the Cabinet of Ministers and should become the basis for making decisions that "will actually help to recreate the light industry." He also recalled that it includes a number of industries: textiles, clothing, leather, footwear, fur, furniture and jewelry. However, the situation in them cannot be changed without the help of the state, and this is a matter of the country's security, the parliamentarian noted.
"There is a decision by the president that the army should be dressed and shod in a Russian uniform. This task is faced by textile workers, garment workers, and shoe makers. Our task is to provide a legislative framework for this," Vyacheslav Volodin emphasized, recalling the exhibition of the latest Russian military uniforms in the State Duma, presented by BTK Group.
He noted that its quality is not comparable with foreign products, which may also be unsafe for the Russian military.
The fact that modern combat requires specific properties of materials was also confirmed to Izvestia at Kalashnikov based on experience in the SVO zone. The army needs high-strength equipment with so-called IR remission, which makes the soldier invisible to night vision devices.
"Currently, not all items are produced in Russia in the required volumes," admitted Alan Lushnikov, CEO of the Kalashnikov Concern. — This is a serious test of strength. But according to the presidential decree, we are obliged to complete full localization by 2027. Our defenders deserve the best."
The import substitution of military uniforms is a matter of life for soldiers, not a whim of officials, said Yaroslav Alexandrov, a veteran of the Russian Armed Forces. An imported cloth or paint in a uniform gives the soldier away to thermal imagers and drones — and he becomes a target.
"The modern uniform is a disguise: IR remission makes a fighter invisible at night, special coatings keep him strong in battle. Only Russian materials will cover all military requirements, while imports risk introducing "beacons" for enemy intelligence — from chemical filaments to IR signatures," he noted.
Business representatives confirmed their readiness to meet any requirements and assured that they would be able to provide the armed forces with high-quality uniforms.
— We are able to provide any requirements that the customer determines for us. Not only the design, appearance and durability, which are usually declared, but also special requirements to ensure that there is no detection, for example, through a thermal imager. They are equipped with the most advanced equipment that exists in the world," Taimuraz Bolloev, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of BTK Group, said in an interview with Izvestia.
In general, Anton Alikhanov, the head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, spoke about the situation in the light industry at the hearings. He said that now the share of this sector of domestic industry in the domestic market is 45%, although it is higher in a number of indicators and individual product groups. But in 2035, according to the ministry's strategy, this figure will approach 50%. At the same time, he drew attention to the low rates in the segments of natural fabrics and leather goods. According to him, this is due to the global trend of switching to synthetic and high-tech materials.
Anton Alikhanov named a single leasing subsidy among the state support measures that are in demand among businesses today, the demand for which exceeds the financing possibilities. In this regard, the Ministry of Industry and Trade proposes to increase its volume in 2026 from 650 million rubles to 1.5 billion rubles, as well as to develop a new measure to support the promotion of light industry products in the framework of work on creative industries.
The head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade also stressed the effectiveness of mandatory labeling of goods in the fight against the shadow economy. According to him, the share of illegal turnover of clothing and textiles decreased from 38% to 12%, and shoes — from 22% to 6%. At the same time, he drew attention to the need to strengthen control. The minister said that it is proposed to add bags and suitcases made of genuine leather to the list of mandatory labeling. Secondly, a permanent mechanism for automatically blocking labeling codes for fictitious manufacturers will be created, which has already revealed in a pilot mode that 95.5% of the verified companies did not have real capacities.
In terms of innovation, according to Anton Alikhanov, the development of the "Innovative Research and Production Center for Textile and Light Industry", which conducts research and development on new materials and production technologies, will continue.
"In general, we have a ready strategy for the development of the center. We plan to transform it into a subordinate organization, modernize the infrastructure and attract additional highly qualified personnel," he concluded.
What the business is asking the authorities for
Representatives of the light industry brought to the authorities the existing problems of the industry and supported the idea of creating a strategy for its development, similar to the state program once implemented in agriculture.
"The strategy for the development of our industry is very important. It will give a great result. So far, we are import—dependent," said Andrey Razbrodin, President of the Union of Textile and Light Industry Entrepreneurs.
According to him, there have been serious achievements in recent years, and they are not small, given that competitors are making significant efforts to conquer the market.
"But our industry cannot live without its own raw materials. The basic raw materials in the world are synthetic and chemical fibers. Their share reaches 68%. Therefore, it is very important to reflect in the strategy the need to develop the production of chemical fibers," said an industry representative.
Taimuraz Bolloev informed about the need for measures to support the light industry. According to him, the total share of the light industry in GDP is undeservedly small. This does not reflect its real potential and the strategic importance of the industry, which demonstrates positive dynamics and the ability to modernize.
"In order for the industry to develop effectively, we need a comprehensive state program to support light industry," he said. "A systematic approach will create favorable conditions for Russian manufacturers and attract sustained investment interest."
According to him, the first steps in this direction have already been taken. In August 2025, a presidential decree was signed, which sets a clear guideline for the phased localization of production and creates a predictable environment for the industry. He also noted that in December, long-term contracts were signed for the supply of clothing for the needs of the armed forces, which ensure steady and guaranteed demand from the state.
"A comprehensive policy, in our opinion, should be based on four directions. First, it is localization and a sovereign regime. This is necessary to ensure a full production cycle in the territory of the Russian Federation. Secondly, it is the provision of product control and tracking. It is necessary to tighten control over the origin of raw materials and finished products in the framework of public procurement, it is important to ensure transparency of supply chains and exclude unscrupulous suppliers," stressed Taimuraz Bolloev.
Thirdly, according to him, financial and investment support is needed, along with which it is important to create conditions for modernization and expansion of production facilities. The fourth area of work should be innovation and personnel sovereignty.
"It is important to form a long-term federal R&D program for the development of light industry for 10 years and ensure the training of qualified personnel who will be able to work at modern high—tech enterprises in a globally competitive environment," Taimuraz Bolloev emphasized.
He noted that BTK Group is ready to participate in the implementation of the industry development program, acting as an expert and an industrial partner.
Igor Surin, President of the Russian Union of Tanners and Shoe Manufacturers, in turn, said that stable shoe production volumes are maintained only within the framework of the state defense order, which, despite everything, is carried out efficiently and on time.
"In the civilian assortment sector, and especially in children's shoes, there is a decrease in production volumes," he said.
According to him, the possibility of temporarily reducing the tax burden on the leather and footwear industry for all categories of enterprises should be considered and control over the use of domestic materials in municipal and state orders should be ensured. Igor Surin noted that it is necessary to support the export of leather products to remote friendly countries.
How are the authorities ready to support businesses
Representatives of the Cabinet of Ministers and the State Duma agreed with business on almost everything.
"We support the initiative to develop a comprehensive program for the development of the industry, which will include, in addition to financial support measures, measures to prevent the import of gray imports into the country," Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said at a parliamentary hearing.
According to him, in order to support domestic producers, the ministry has prepared a draft law on the introduction of VAT on imported products sold through e-commerce, regardless of the duty-free threshold.
The proposal to increase market transparency was also appreciated by State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin. According to him, when it appears, many issues will be resolved more effectively. He announced the creation of a working group in the State Duma, which, with the participation of relevant government ministries, will work on the announced initiatives and proposals.
Maxim Reshetnikov, the head of the Ministry of Economic Development, agreed with the need to develop a strategy. According to him, the market of light industry products in Russia last year amounted to 2.6 trillion rubles. At the same time, 60% of them were satisfied through imports. It is necessary to develop a strategy, as "it is impractical to replace imports everywhere and everywhere," the minister noted.
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