Indian leather manufacturers and traders have urged the government to impose an anti-dumping duty on Chinese footwear to decrease the amount of cheap imports and make Indian businesses more competitive. The leather industry has also demanded an increase in import duty on chemicals used in the leather treatment process. Leather businesses have demanded increase in import duty on chemicals imported from China including basic chrome sulphate and sodium sulphide from the current rate of 8.2 per cent to 35 per cent.

Numerous Indian industries have also urged their customers to boycott Chinese goods in order to boost Indian manufacturing in the wake of lockdown and following border tensions between India and China. The Confederation of All India Traders has also been vocal about boycotting Chinese products, claiming that Chinese imports are costing Indian workers their jobs.

According to the Council of Leather Exports, a large number of Indian factories that manufactured the chemicals used to treat leather have closed down as they were unable compete with Chinese imports. China also manufactures a far greater volume of footwear than India and Chinese footwear exports to India have risen in recent years as India’s annual footwear consumption has increased.