India could export extra leather to boost Vietnam’s footwear industry
Indian tanneries could provide extra leather to Vietnam to support its growing footwear industry, said Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung during a trade visit.
The two countries have agreed to increase their trade from $5.2 billion in 2013 to $7 billion in 2015 and $15 billion by 2020.
India’s Tata Group is building thermal power plant in the southern province of Soc Trang, the largest Indian project in Vietnam. Tata owns a tannery and several footwear and leathergoods facilities. It recently announced expansions in both its footwear making capacity and in automotive leather and its contacts in the country could prove beneficial.
Vietnam recently expressed concerns that its leather footwear industry was not well enough equipped to take advantage of new trade deals with the EU, as its manufacturers did not have either the correct knowledge or testing facilities. It is investing around 200,000 euros in a project to bring shoemakers up to speed with EU regulations and is considering creating new testing houses.
