India's CLE hosts knowledge session on FTA benefits for exporters

In an initiative to empower Indian exporters amidst an evolving global trade scenario, the Council for Leather Exports (CLE), Northern Regional Office, Delhi, successfully organized an 'FTA Dissemination Outreach Programme' recently at the Seminar Hall, FDDI Noida Campus. The two-hour highly interactive session focused on unpacking the immense benefits of utilizing Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) for robust trade promotion.

The event was graced by key industry stalwarts, including Motilal Sethi, Chairman – Northern Region, CLE, and Vivek Sharma, who attended as the Guest of Honour. Reflecting the high stakes and collaborative spirit of the sector, the session also witnessed the presence of prominent leaders such as Sanjay Leekha, Chairman, Leather Sector Skill Council; Puran Dawar, Chairman, Development Council for Footwear and Leather Industry; Sanjay Gupta, President, IFCOMA; Anil Sondhi, COA Member, CLE; and Atul Kumar Mishra, Regional Director – North, CLE.

On the occasion, Mihir Shah, Lead Consultant, delivered a comprehensive presentation detailing the various facets of FTAs. He provided a step-by-step roadmap on how leather and footwear exporters can effectively leverage the duty concessions and market-access benefits arising from India’s bilateral trade agreements with various partner nations.

The immense relevance of the subject drew widespread engagement from the trade community. More than 40 member-exporters participated physically at the FDDI Noida venue, while over 150 industry stakeholders joined virtually from across the country, actively participating in the Q&A session.

To ensure these vital insights translate into actionable business strategies, the association announced that it will circulate the detailed presentation to the wider industry by this week, enabling businesses to systematically prepare for upcoming global trade opportunities.

To sum up, the CLE’s FTA Outreach Programme was an attempt to decode complex bilateral treaties into tangible, bottom-line advantages, and equip Indian exporters to transition from domestic market leaders to dominant global competitors. For them mastering FTA utilization will be the deciding factor that converts India's manufacturing potential into sustainable, high-volume export realities on the world stage.

Why the initiative matters

The outreach programme comes at a very significant juncture for India’s leather and footwear exporters. As the Government of India aggressively negotiates and implements high-quality, modern FTAs with major global economies (including recent milestones with the UK, EU, and Gulf nations), the leather and footwear industry is set to become a key beneficiary of these FTAs. Historically a labour-intensive and high-value sector, Indian leather is uniquely positioned to capture shifting global supply chains. However, the true efficacy of these state-level treaties relies entirely on grassroots utilization. By bridging the gap between policy architecture and enterprise execution, the CLE’s initiative will ensure that Indian MSMEs and large manufacturers alike can bypass tariff barriers, match global price points, and seamlessly integrate into international retail networks.