Union Minister Piyush Goyal has called on India’s leather and footwear industry to scale up exports to $15 billion over the next five to six years, signalling a major push for the sector on the national trade agenda. The statement positions leather and footwear as a priority growth area alongside India’s other manufacturing export ambitions. For Indian shoemakers, tanners, and retailers, this is a clear signal that policy support and attention are likely to follow.
- Piyush Goyal has urged the leather and footwear industry to target $15 billion in exports within the next 5-6 years.
- The call frames leather and footwear as a key focus area for India’s export growth strategy.
- The push suggests industry and government coordination on scaling up production and global competitiveness in the coming years.
The target, as reported by DD India, reflects a broader ambition to position India as a stronger global player in leather and footwear manufacturing, an industry where the country already has an established base of tanneries, artisans, and export clusters in states like Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. Reaching such a figure within half a decade would require meaningful investment in capacity, quality standards, and market access, though the source material does not detail specific schemes or timelines beyond the minister’s call to action.
What stands out is the scale of ambition being placed on a sector that has traditionally competed with manufacturing giants like China and Vietnam. According to DD India, Goyal’s remarks put the leather and footwear industry firmly in the conversation around India’s larger export growth story, alongside sectors like textiles and electronics that have also seen similar government-backed export pushes in recent years.
For everyday buyers and small retailers, a stronger export-oriented leather and footwear industry often trickles down into better domestic quality standards, more competitive pricing, and wider variety as manufacturers scale up to meet international demand. If you’re exploring what quality leather footwear looks like amid these industry shifts, Ambur Shoe Shop’s buying guides can help you understand what to look for.
Whether the $15 billion target is met will depend on how quickly production capacity, trade agreements, and quality benchmarks come together in the years ahead.