Driving India’s domestic capabilities under the vision of 'Vocal for Local' and 'Local to Global,' the Department of Commerce hosted a high-level stakeholder interaction in Chennai to advance the Leather, Footwear, and Accessories sector. Over the past twelve years, India’s total exports nearly doubled, climbing from USD 468 billion in FY 2014-15 to an all-time high of USD 863.1 billion in FY 2025-26, comprising USD 442 billion in merchandise and USD 421 billion in services. Within this trajectory, leather and footwear exports reached USD 4.75 billion, heavily driven by value-added footwear and leather goods. Tamil Nadu stands out as the premier exporting state, accounting for USD 1.59 billion or nearly 37 percent of India’s sector exports, with women constituting over 40 percent of its regional workforce.

Backed by Chennai’s strong manufacturing ecosystem and the presence of top foreign contract manufacturers, the industry is targeting a USD 50 billion production valuation by 2030, consisting of USD 36 billion in domestic consumption and USD 14 billion in exports, growing at an estimated 24.13 percent CAGR over the next five years. This labor-intensive sector currently provides employment to 4.42 million people and is perfectly positioned to leverage zero-duty market access from recent Free Trade Agreements with partners like the UAE, Oman, Australia, EFTA countries, the UK, European Union, and New Zealand. Industry leaders strongly commended central support schemes, including the Export Promotion, Advanced Authorization, and Interest Equalization Schemes, alongside ECGC insurance, which collectively foster MSME integration and brand promotion. Field visits to Cheyyar SEZ and collaborative meetings with Tamil Nadu’s Additional Chief Secretary, Shri S Vijaykumar, further underscored the combined commitment to realizing the national Viksit Bharat Vision 2047.

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