IIFF 2026 concludes; next edition to be organised at a bigger scale

The 10th edition of the India International Footwear Fair (IIFF) 2026 concluded on 8 August 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Organised by the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) in association with the Confederation of Indian Footwear Industries (CIFI), the three-day business-to-business exhibition brought together footwear manufacturers, exporters, importers, machinery suppliers, component makers, and buyers from India and abroad.

The event was inaugurated on 6 August by Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh, along with ITPO Chairman Jawed Ashraf, Executive Director Premjit Lal, CIFI President V. Naushad, and IIFF 2026 Organising Committee Chairman Raj Kumar Gupta. In his keynote address, Union Minister Giriraj Singh highlighted the growing role of technical textiles in footwear manufacturing and urged factory owners and small units to make use of government schemes, including the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, to boost production capacity and global competitiveness. Emphasising the non-leather footwear market, he called for wider global participation, technology partnerships, and closer collaboration between government bodies, machinery suppliers, and manufacturers to build IIFF into a world-class trade fair.

Addressing delegates during the event, Jawed Ashraf, Chairman of ITPO, laid out an ambitious plan for the future scale of IIFF. "Our first goal is to scale this fair up. Currently, it is spread across two halls; we want to expand it to eight halls so that it becomes a mega-event like 'Bharat Tex.' We can expand this exhibition to 40,000 to 50,000 square metres of space. Secondly, we want to increase international participation substantially, inviting exhibitors and buyers from across the globe in large number. Thirdly, we aim to bring in major international brands," said Ashraf.

He added that India's footwear sector provides employment to nearly 4.5 million workers and accounts for 12 to 13 per cent of global footwear production, yet India holds only about 2 per cent of global footwear exports. He called for a collective effort to raise this share to 10 per cent. "Our endeavour is to improve the scale, the overall experience, and the quality. Trade fairs are key to boosting our footwear exports. We will also try to attract top global brands, those holding the largest market shares worldwide, so they begin buying goods directly from India through this exhibition, significantly accelerating our footwear export growth," Ashraf further said.

Despite heavy morning rains on opening day, buyer turnout remained high. "Looking at turnout, despite heavy rain, a massive crowd arrived, including buyers from several countries. Compared to last year, the event was held on a much larger scale," Ashraf observed, expressing confidence that business deals generated over the three days would be doubled compared to the previous edition.

Highlighting the practical aspects of the trade fair, Premjit Lal, Executive Director of ITPO, noted, "This is a B2B platform for the footwear industry where manufacturers come and display their products to domestic and foreign buyers, so it can be taken to the world from here itself. We have both buyers and stalls from abroad, and there are many new stalls this year."

For IIFF 2026, the exhibition occupied two halls at Bharat Mandapam, housing around 250 stalls and display units. Organisers acknowledged that space constraints limited participation this year. V. Naushad, President of CIFI, stated that the show received a strong response from the trade, but many suppliers could not be accommodated due to space limits. He undelined the necessity of increasing the exhibition area and number of halls for the next edition.

Raj Kumar Gupta, Organising Committee Chairman of IIFF 2026, added, "This is the 10th edition of IIFF, and every year it is expanding. This year about 50,000 square metres of space is being occupied, with around 250 stalls from all over India and abroad. Next year we expect at least 400 stalls. This show is important for both the leather and non-leather footwear industry."

India has become the world's most populous country, and generating quality jobs for its young population remains a central priority. Highly labour-intensive industries such as textiles, leather, and footwear are critical to creating these jobs. Trade shows like IIFF provide a common venue for government officials, state leaders, industry elders, traders, and buyers to discuss policies, work together, and increase trade orders. Industry leaders noted that increased state-level participation in future editions through business sessions would help align government support with the ground-level needs of factory owners and MSME units.

The 10th edition displayed finished footwear, sole and upper components, machinery, synthetic sheets, chemicals, and production technologies. Preparations for the next edition will focus on expanding venue capacity, increasing buyer turnout, and positioning India as a global manufacturing and supply hub for footwear.