India, March 31 -- Step into the lanes of Varanasi, where shimmering Banarasi silks catch the light, or wander through the quiet workshops of Kanchipuram as artisans weave golden zari threads into sarees. India's handloom sector - with deep pockets of craft, culture, and creativity scattered across the country - inherits greatly from the past and tells the unique story of art and enterprise. But to truly unlock the potential of India's artisan economy, we must ask: How can different players in the ecosystem, from government to markets, help address barriers facing these communities so that they can chart a path to economic empowerment and sustainable growth?

Today, only agriculture supports more livelihoods in India than the artisan econ...