India’s safety footwear industry exports rise 48%, UAE-France take 32%

India’s safety footwear industry exports rose nearly 48% from Rs 647.75 crore in FY 2021 to Rs 959.19 crore in FY 2025. The United Arab Emirates and France accounted for 32.30%, or Rs 309.84 crore, of FY 2025 value, making the two markets the largest combined destination concentration.

Why did safety footwear industry exports rise nearly 48% in four years?

Safety footwear industry exports rose because reported export value increased in every financial year from FY 2021 through FY 2025. Directorate General of Foreign Trade data for Harmonized System, or HS, codes 64034000 and 64011990 show an increase of Rs 311.44 crore over the period, from Rs 647.75 crore to Rs 959.19 crore. The source links the sharp initial increase to the revival of global trade after the pandemic and greater attention to workplace safety across industries.

The annual pattern changed after FY 2022. Exports increased by about 25% to Rs 809.76 crore in FY 2022, then rose by Rs 28.73 crore in FY 2023, Rs 52.36 crore in FY 2024 and Rs 68.34 crore in FY 2025. The continued increase therefore followed a faster first-year recovery, rather than a constant annual growth rate.

Sustaining the FY 2025 level depends in part on manufacturers meeting the specifications required by overseas buyers. Export-oriented units must align products with international performance standards including EN ISO 20345, the European protective-footwear standard, and ASTM F2413, a United States protective-footwear standard, where applicable. These requirements cover product performance rather than export value alone.

How concentrated are safety footwear industry exports in the UAE and France?

The United Arab Emirates and France accounted for 32.30% of safety footwear industry exports in FY 2025. The United Arab Emirates was the largest destination at 16.98%, or Rs 162.91 crore, and France was second at 15.32%, or Rs 146.93 crore. Their combined Rs 309.84 crore share was nearly one-third of the FY 2025 total of Rs 959.19 crore.

The export base also extended beyond the two largest markets. Saudi Arabia represented 11.31%, Germany 5.86% and the United Kingdom 5.04%, bringing the five named markets to 54.51% of FY 2025 export value. The remaining 45.49%, or Rs 436.36 crore, was classified as other destinations, including markets in Africa, Southeast Asia and North America.

This mix means destination concentration and geographic spread coexist in the FY 2025 data. The two largest markets had a larger combined share than the 16.90% represented by Germany and the United Kingdom, while the other-markets category remained the single largest grouping at 45.49%. Future export resilience would depend on retaining sales in the broad other-markets category as well as in the United Arab Emirates and France.

What supports demand in the largest safety footwear industry markets?

Demand in the leading markets is linked to different industrial uses and compliance requirements. The source associates the United Arab Emirates' Rs 162.91 crore of FY 2025 purchases with construction, oil and gas, and logistics activity, and identifies the country as a re-export hub for the Gulf. France's Rs 146.93 crore market is linked to workplace-safety regulation and demand for certified footwear across industrial sectors.

Saudi Arabia accounted for Rs 108.45 crore in FY 2025 exports, with construction, petrochemicals and mining identified as relevant sectors. Germany accounted for Rs 56.21 crore and is described as a market requiring adherence to stringent safety standards. The United Kingdom received Rs 48.33 crore, with construction, logistics and manufacturing cited as industrial demand areas.

Product certification is the mechanism connecting industrial requirements to export access. The Export Inspection Council, under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, provides product certification and pre-shipment inspection services. The Council for Leather Exports also supports testing, research and development, and certification assistance for exporters seeking to meet buyer-specific requirements.

How do standards and policy affect safety footwear industry exports?

Standards affect safety footwear industry exports by setting the product-performance requirements that manufacturers must meet in domestic and overseas markets. The Bureau of Indian Standards, or BIS, standard IS 15298 Parts 1 to 4 covers terminology, classification and safety requirements for protective footwear and is aligned with EN ISO 20345:2011. The source specifies a 200-joule toe-cap impact test and compression resistance of up to 15,000 newtons.

Other BIS standards cover particular working environments. IS 11226 applies to footwear for miners and underground workers, while IS 12254 covers rubber and polymeric safety boots for chemical, fertilizer and process industries. The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 requires employers in specified sectors to provide certified personal protective equipment, or PPE, to workers exposed to physical, chemical or electrical hazards.

The Indian Footwear, Leather & Accessories Development Programme, or IFLADP, for FY 2021-26 has an outlay of Rs 1,700 crore and includes non-leather and safety footwear. Its Integrated Development of Leather Sector component provides financial assistance of up to 30% for modernization, automation and energy-efficient machinery. The source also identifies Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals, or REACH, compliance as relevant for access to European Union buyers.

What is the safety footwear industry’s position in global trade?

The safety footwear industry ranked fourth among global safety-footwear exporters in calendar year 2024 in the source's World Trade Data analysis. China, Italy and Germany ranked ahead of India. This global ranking is distinct from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade series, which reports India’s export values for FY 2021 through FY 2025 under HS codes 64034000 and 64011990.

The source's market-position analysis places India fifth in the United Kingdom market and 11th in the United States market. The United Kingdom was also the fifth-largest named export destination in FY 2025, receiving Rs 48.33 crore. The United States was included in the Rs 436.36 crore other-markets category, so the supplied data do not state its FY 2025 import value separately.

The comparison shows that a fourth-place global position does not produce the same position in each national market. The United Kingdom was a reported top-five destination by value, while the United States was not separately quantified in the FY 2025 destination breakdown. Meeting ASTM F2413 requirements is identified in the source as relevant to serving the United States market.

Conclusion

Safety footwear industry exports increased in each year from FY 2021 to FY 2025, reaching Rs 959.19 crore after a nearly 48% four-year rise. The FY 2025 destination profile combined a 45.49% other-markets share with material exposure to the United Arab Emirates and France, which together represented 32.30% of export value. Standards alignment is the common condition for serving industrial buyers across these markets.

The next point to watch is whether export growth continues after FY 2025 while the destination mix broadens beyond the two largest markets. The disclosed IFLADP plan runs through FY 2021-26 and provides up to 30% assistance for modernization through its Integrated Development of Leather Sector component, while continued compliance with BIS, EN ISO 20345, ASTM F2413 and REACH-related requirements remains relevant where markets require it.