It was declared a statutory institute in 2006 under the NIFT Act of the Indian Parliament and empowered to grant its own degree.

[6] Along with the Ministry of Textiles, NIFT is in the process of creating an India-specific size chart.

The new digital disruptive pattern camouflage uniform adopted by the Indian Army in 2022 was designed in association with NIFT.

[9] The campus in Bhopal was set up in June 2008,[9] Bhubaneshwar in 2010,[10] Jodhpur in 2010,[11] Kangra in 2009,[12] Kannur temporarily in 2008 but permanently in 2012,[13] and Patna in 2008.

NIFT offers undergraduate, post-graduate, and doctoral programmes in design, management, and technology.