Trade

India’s leather, non-leather footwear and leather products exports rise by 25% in 2024-2025

May 6, 2025 India

India’s exports of leather, non-leather footwear and leather products grew by around 25% year-on-year to 5.7 billion US dollars in fiscal 2024-25, according to the Council for Leather Exports (CLE)

The Council for Leather Exports added that demand in both developed and developing countries is “healthy”, which should see exports surpass the 6.5 billion US dollars mark in 2025-2026.

“In 2024-2025, we have exceeded the export target set by the Ministry of Commerce by 1 billion US dollars, and going by this trend, our exports will cross 6.5 billion US dollars in 2025-2026”, commented R Selvam, director of the Council for Leather Exports, as quoted by local media.

India's key export destinations, the UK and US, are both witnessing strong exports, according to the CLE, and the organisation expects to see continued strong order volumes from these countries over the coming months.

In order to mitigate the 10% tariff increases imposed by the US, many exporters are offering discounts to international buyers to avoid cancellations. “We have suggested a ‘zero for zero’ duty to the government in the proposed bilateral trade agreement with the US”, said the CLE Chairman Rajendra Kumar Jalan.

Indian Footwear Industry

India’s footwear industry, the world’s second largest, has focused on modernisation and expansion, supported by skills development initiatives. While primarily serving its huge domestic market, India maintains a stable export volume of around 250 million pairs annually, as indicated by the World Footwear 2024 Yearbook (more information available HERE). The US and major European markets are the main destinations for Indian footwear exports.

Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com

Image Credits: Mitul Gajera on Unsplash

India Exports Footwear International Trade Leather Organisations