Giriraj Singh inaugurates 10th India International Footwear Fair 2026 at Bharat Mandapam

The 10th India International Footwear Fair (IIFF) 2026, organised by the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry in association with the Confederation of Indian Footwear Industries (CIFI), was inaugurated on Friday at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, by Giriraj Singh, Union Minister of Textiles.

The inaugural ceremony was attended by Amb. Jawed Ashraf, Chairman, ITPO; Premjit Lal, Executive Director, ITPO; V. Naushad, President, CIFI; and Raj Kumar Gupta, Chairman, CIFI, along with senior government officials, industry leaders, exhibitors, buyers and international delegates from the global footwear industry.

The three-day B2B exhibition brings together leading footwear manufacturers, exporters, importers, buyers, technology providers and other stakeholders from India and abroad. It provides a comprehensive platform to showcase innovations, strengthen business partnerships and explore new opportunities across the global footwear value chain.

Welcoming the gathering, V. Naushad, President, CIFI, highlighted the remarkable growth of India’s footwear industry and emphasised the importance of IIFF as a premier B2B platform for fostering innovation, strengthening manufacturing, promoting exports and facilitating business collaborations across the footwear value chain.

Addressing the gathering, Amb Jawed Ashraf, Chairman, ITPO, spoke about the immense potential of India’s footwear industry, which employs nearly 4.5 million people and accounts for approximately 12-13 per cent of global footwear production. He noted that despite India’s strong manufacturing base, the country’s share in global footwear exports remains around 2 per cent, and called for a collective effort by the Government, industry and ITPO to raise this to 10 per cent. He stressed the need to focus on non-leather footwear, attract leading global brands, strengthen India’s presence in global value chains and enhance the international profile of the sector.

In his keynote address, Giriraj Singh congratulated ITPO and CIFI for organising this landmark edition of IIFF and appreciated Amb. Jawed Ashraf’s efforts in strengthening ITPO as a leading trade promotion organisation.