Snapshot
World's tannery
Leather, Leather products and Footwear industry achieved 63.5% of export performance in dollar terms, during April – November 2020 viz-a-viz April – November 2019
The Leather industry in India accounts for around 12.9% of the world’s leather production of hides/skins and handles a robust annual production of about 3 bn sq. ft. of leather. The country accounts for 9% of the world’s footwear production. The industry is known for its consistency in high export earnings and it is among the top ten foreign exchange earners for the country.
India has an abundance of raw materials with access to 20% of world’s cattle and buffalo and 11% of the world’s goat and sheep population.
The Leather industry is an employment intensive industry providing job to more than 4 mn people, mostly from the weaker sections of the society. Women employment is predominant in Leather products industry with about 30% share. The Leather industry in India has one of the youngest workforces with 55% of the workforce below 35 years of age.
The major markets for Indian Leather & Leather Products are USA with a share of 17.22%, Germany 11.98%, U.K 10.43%, Italy 6.33%, France 5.94%, Spain 5.01%, Netherlands 3.52%, U.A.E 3.35%, China 2.61%, Hong Kong 2.15%, Belgium 2.21% and Poland 2.11%.
The Leather industry has the tendency to generate 250 jobs for every $0.2 mn investment.
For further details, please refer FDI Policy
- $ bn
Footwear exports
- $ mn
Leather garments exports
- mn
People employed
- $ mn
Finished leather exports

Second largest producer of footwear and leather garments in the world

Second largest exporter of leather garments in the world

Fifth largest exporter of leather goods & accessories in the world

- Industry Scenario
- FOREIGN INVESTMENT
- INDUSTRY TRENDS
- POLICIES & SCHEMES
Industry Scenario
Exports of leather and leather products touched $5 bn during 2019-20
Exports are segmented as:
- Footwear export accounts for 51.77% share during April 2019 to March 2020 worth $2.6 bn;
- Leather Goods & Accessories with a share of 26.44%;
- Finished Leather 10.34%;
- Leather Garments 8.46%, and
- Saddlery & Harness 2.99%
The major production centres for footwear, leather and leather products in India are located in the States of Tamil Nadu – Chennai, Ambur, Ranipet, Vaniyambadi, Vellore, Pernambut, Trichy, Dindigul and Erode; West Bengal – Kolkata; Uttar Pradesh – Kanpur, Agra, Noida, Saharanpur; Maharashtra – Mumbai; Punjab – Jalandhar; Karnataka – Bengaluru; Telengana Hyderabad; Haryana – Ambala, Gurgaon, Panchkula, Karnal and Faridabad; Delhi; Madhya Pradesh – Dewas; Kerala – Kozhikode and Ernakulam / Cochin; Rajasthan; Jaipur; Jammu & Kashmir; Srinagar.
GROWTH DRIVERS
Raw material availability
3 bn sq ft. of leather produced annually
Youth power
55% of the workforce below the age of 35
Market advantage
The domestic market for fashion accessories to double
High growth potential on exports
Capacity modernization coupled with a favorable investment climate
Favorable government support
Assistance to states for infrastructure development of exports

