New Delhi: Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Sunday urged the leather and footwear industry to increase leather exports to at least $15 billion over the next five to six years by leveraging Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), improving quality and expanding into new global markets.
Addressing the Council for Leather Exports National Export Excellence Awards for 2024-25 in New Delhi, Goyal said the sector currently exported goods worth about $4-4.5 billion. He asked the industry to target threefold growth through stronger branding, better design, sustainability and larger production capacity.
The Minister said India’s FTAs had opened access to 38 developed countries. He announced that the India-UK FTA would come into force on July 15. Meanwhile, he said the legal review of the India-EU FTA was expected to conclude within the next 15 to 20 days.
Leather exports can drive jobs and global expansion
Goyal urged exporters to diversify beyond traditional markets, noting that 77% of India’s leather exports currently went to just 15 countries. He encouraged companies to explore opportunities in smaller developed markets alongside established destinations.
Furthermore, he said the sector could expand employment from more than 40 lakh workers to one crore. He also called on the industry to strengthen leather development centres and partner with the National Institute of Design, the Indian Institute of Packaging, the Quality Council of India and the Bureau of Indian Standards to improve product quality and innovation.
The Minister stressed the importance of sustainability, advanced testing, modern manufacturing and brand building to improve India’s global competitiveness. Additionally, he encouraged companies to adopt robotics, artificial intelligence and renewable energy to enhance productivity and meet evolving international market requirements.
Congratulating the award winners, Goyal described exporters as ambassadors of Brand India. He urged the industry to build globally competitive enterprises while creating employment opportunities and supporting the country’s manufacturing growth.
