At the Vietnam Footwear Summit in Ho Chi Minh City, representatives from India’s Council for Leather Exports (CLE) presented a strategic proposal for bilateral industry cooperation. Rather than competing directly, the delegation proposed a framework built on joint ventures, supply chain integration and technical collaboration between two of the world’s major footwear manufacturing nations.
The initiative is backed by India’s position as the world’s second-largest footwear producer and consumer, with 3 billion pairs produced in 2024. Under its Vision 2030 strategy, India aims to reach $50 billion in total sectoral turnover by 2030, driven by rising domestic consumption, expanding e-commerce and high-growth segments such as sports, athleisure and synthetic footwear.
To incentivise partnership with Vietnam, the CLE highlighted four main opportunities. First, Vietnamese companies can co-manufacture within India to supply its expanding internal market while leveraging key trade agreements with the UK, EFTA, and the EU. Second, joint investment opportunities exist to build local component manufacturing for soles, uppers, moulds, adhesives, and machinery. Third, the partnership offers technical cooperation in automation, robotics, AI, and workforce training through established Indian research institutes. Finally, the proposal integrates traditional Indian leather craftsmanship alongside mass production to enhance brand storytelling in high-value global segments.
Further discussions and industrial matchmaking will continue at the Bharat Footwear and Leather Expo (BFLEX) on 15–16 March 2027 in New Delhi.
