In a significant development for India’s leather industry, the Government of India has announced the removal of port restrictions and testing requirements for the export of Finished Leather, Wet Blue Leather, EI Tanned Leather and Crust Leather.

The Ministry of Commerce & Industry, through the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), issued a notification on May 26, 2025 revoking the longstanding Public Notice 23(RE-2013)/2009-14 dated August 13, 2013, as amended over the years.

This decision marks an important milestone for exporters

According to the notification, with immediate effect:

[1] Port restrictions on the export of Finished Leather, Wet Blue Leather and EI Tanned Leather have been removed.

[2] The requirement for testing and certification by the Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI) for Finished Leather, Wet Blue Leather, Crust Leather and EI Tanned Leather has been withdrawn.

The notification complements the Budget 2025 policy measures announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in February, which targeted boosting productivity, quality, and global competitiveness in the leather and footwear sector.

The Budget removed the 20% export duty on crust leather and the 10% import duty on wet blue leather, slashing them to NIL.

This move is expected to ease the export process, boost competitiveness, and further strengthen India’s position as a leading exporter of leather and leather products.

Industry players have long requested the removal of these restrictions, citing their impact on efficiency and global competitiveness.

The Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Ajay Bhadoo, announced the changes, signaling a proactive approach to streamline export operations and support industry growth under the Foreign Trade Policy 2023 framework.

Click here to download the official notification.