Footwear sector concerned over proposed BIS standards

The footwear industry has expressed concern over plans by the government to make BIS standards mandatory for footwear from July 1.
V. Noushad, president of Confederation of Indian Footwear Industries, said there is a set of standards that are currently mandatory only for certain varieties of shoes. For the other varieties, the standards are not mandatory. With plans to make the standards mandatory for all footwear, except handmade ones and those made by units with less than ₹50 lakh turnover, the industry is worried. It is difficult to forecast designs and dimensions, especially for fashion footwear. “The standards should not affect creativity of the industry,” he said. The industry continues to interact with the BIS to give its inputs regarding standards, he said.
Further, the Confederation organised a meeting on Friday on sports shoes. Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal urged the footwear industry, at the meeting, to focus on quality and reduce import dependence to capture a larger share in the international market.
Mr. Noushad said India has 2% share in the international footwear market and the plan is to increase it to 10%% 2030. With western buyers looking at India as a potential supplier, Indian manufacturers need to increase capacities. Sports shoes have the highest potential for higher exports, he said.