Level playing field for leather and footwear

Textiles sector, hit by US levy, sees $11-bn boost

- NARAYANAN V

THE ZERO-DUTY ACCESS to the European market will improve the competitiveness of India’s $5-billion leather and footwear export industry and help level the playing field with competitors such as Bangladesh and Cambodia.

Under the India-EU FTA, tariffs of up to 17% have been eliminated across all tariff lines, easing access for India’s leather and footwear exports to the EU, currently valued at about $2.4 billion. The bloc’s leather and footwear imports are estimated at nearly $100 billion, offering significant headroom for Indian exporters.