India wants the top export rank and is renewing its ambitions in leather. Meanwhile, Kanpur, one of its most sensitive tanning hubs, faces a new round of environmental checks. On one side, the government is pushing to triple exports by 2031. On the other, inspections are revealing non-compliant discharges, inflated production capacity, and a monitoring system that once again demands guarantees. These two opposing, but parallel movements, show how India is trying to fully develop the potential of its tanning industry without yet having the means to do so.

India wants the top export spot

As highlighted by the local press, Industry and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has set a clear goal: to bring leather and footwear exports to at least 15 billion dollars over the next five to six years, leveraging free trade agreements, new markets, and planning that focuses on quality, design, branding, and sustainability. India believes it already has the necessary assets: from technical skills to expert manufacturing, as well as competitive products. The new trade agreements have opened access to 38 additional countries, on top of the ten ASEAN countries (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), creating a preferential network covering nearly 50 markets. Today, however, the main limit remains geographic concentration. 77% of exports go to just 15 countries. Goyal wants to break this pattern, also pushing less-developed categories (bags, wallets, saddlery, apparel) to broaden the industrial base and diversify international demand.

Kanpur’s troubles

While New Delhi looks to exports, Kanpur is dealing with a more complex reality. The Regional Pollution Control Board has issued 25 new notices to tanners after detecting discharges with chromium levels three times above the permitted limits and ineffective treatment systems (source: The Times of India). In one week, the notices rose to 44, including cases of units operating without the required permits. Out of 274 active tanneries, many held stock and employed workers above their authorized capacity, a sign that operators were pushing production beyond limits. Other units had closed, become inactive, or been dismantled, confirming a fragmented sector under pressure. In short, while the government aims to expand the supply chain, the unresolved environmental issue risks slowing international credibility.

审核：雒霞