ISF STRIDE - August 2026

ISF | SEPTEMBER 2026 IN REVIEW

Dear Sir

Greetings from the Indian Shoe Federation!

We are pleased to share “ISF: Month of September 2026 in Review” — capturing a significant month of knowledge, engagement, industry perspectives and market intelligence.

From two editions of VOICE of ISF and the September edition of The STRIDE, to our 34th Annual General Meeting, five insightful Special Presentations, and the launch of the maiden ISF Weekly Footwear Market Trends Report, September has been a month of purposeful engagement with our members and the industry.

We invite you to read the attached report and remain engaged with ISF as we continue our endeavour towards a stronger and more competitive Indian footwear industry.

Warm regards,
INDIAN SHOE FEDERATION

Sep 2026 Review

(click on the image for details)

REPORT on 34th ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE INDIAN SHOE FEDERATION

Dear Members,

Greetings from the Indian Shoe Federation. We are pleased to share with you two reports covering the 34th Annual General Meeting of the Indian Shoe Federation, held on 28th September 2026 at Taj Club House, Chennai.

The first report presents the proceedings of the Business Session, including the President’s address, the statutory business of the Federation and important developments emerging from the AGM.

The second report captures the Special Presentations that followed; bringing together valuable perspectives on the opportunities and challenges before the Indian footwear industry, including scale, design, technology, quality, delivery, branding, skills and sustainability. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS ON THE OCCASION OF THE 34th ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF ISF HELD ON 28th SEPTEMBER 2026.

Together, the two reports provide a record not merely of an Annual General Meeting, but of an evening of reflection, knowledge sharing and forward thinking. INDIAN SHOE FEDERATION

REPORT on 34th ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE INDIAN SHOE FEDERATION

Report on SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS

ISF SHOE SALE - MEGA EVENT : 02 - 12 OCTOBER 2026

ISF Shoe Sale

ONE SALE. THE WHOLE FAMILY.

Step in together. Step out in style. The ISF SHOE SALE is back—bringing together footwear and leather products for the entire family!

From men’s shoes and women’s footwear to sneakers, kids’ footwear, handbags and leather goods, discover quality products from leading manufacturers and exporters at attractive factory prices.

📅 2–12 October 2026
⏰ 10:00 AM–8:00 PM
📍 Guild of Service Hall
Casa Major Road, Egmore, Chennai – 600 008

Bring the family. Explore the choices. Find your style.
ISF SHOE SALE — Something for everyone.

#ISFShoeSale #IndianShoeFederation #FamilyShopping
#Footwear #Shoes #Handbags #LeatherGoods #ChennaiShopping #MadeInIndia

ISF 34th AGM | STEPPING INTO THE FUTURE, TOGETHER

The 34th Annual General Meeting of the Indian Shoe Federation (ISF), held on 28 September 2026 at Taj Club House, Chennai, brought together members, industry leaders and knowledge partners for an evening of reflection, dialogue and forward thinking.

Photo_AGM2026

In his address, Mr P. S. Suresh, President, ISF, reviewed the Federation's journey around its four pillars—Innovation, Sustainability, Global Competitiveness and Inclusivity—and called for the industry to move from awareness to adoption and from intent to execution.

A significant milestone of the AGM was the appointment of Dr Jinnah Rafiq Ahmed, Executive Chairman, KICL, as Vice President of ISF, further strengthening the Federation's leadership as it expands its engagement with technology, design, skills, knowledge and industry–institution collaboration.

The evening's Special Presentations brought valuable perspectives from Dr Jinnah Rafiq Ahmed and Dr N. Mohan of KICL, Mr J. Suresh Kumar of CLARKS, Mr Dishant Daryani of COMET, Mr Camal Rajan of PRIYA IMPEX, and Mr P. Venkatesan of SGS—covering scale and global opportunity, design intervention, brand expectations, consumer aspiration, manufacturing technology and sustainability.

Together, the discussions reinforced one overarching message: India's footwear opportunity is significant, but converting opportunity into leadership will require design, technology, quality, skills, sustainability and disciplined execution

As ISF looks ahead, its commitment remains:
Representing the Industry.
Connecting the Ecosystem.
Enabling the Future.
INDIAN SHOE FEDERATION
Stepping into the Future, Together.

ISF AGM 2026 Photo updates

“FROM TEXTILES TO PERFORMANCE 👟

What if a textile could do more than become part of a shoe?

What if it could contribute to its comfort, breathability, flexibility, lightweight construction and overall performance?

Edition 12 of VOICE of ISF, the Fortnightly Series of the Indian Shoe Federation, features Mr BS Ramachandra, GM, WILHELM Textiles, India, sharing perspectives on the growing sports and athleisure footwear segment and the opportunities it presents for material and component suppliers.

Voice of ISF

As the boundaries between sports, leisure, travel and everyday footwear continue to blur, material innovation will play an increasingly important role in shaping the footwear of tomorrow.

From supplying textiles to contributing to performance—that is the opportunity.Read. Reflect. Stay Connected

The STRIDE | SEPTEMBER 2026 EDITION

This edition brings together opportunities that Members can translate into business — understanding India’s expanding FTA landscape and Rules of Origin; exploring the lifetime-free TPCS PLM offer; becoming visible in AI-enabled global sourcing through FRANK AI; and connecting with the industry at SHOETECH Mumbai 2026.

Opportunity is Valuable When We Act Upon It.Read on:

Stride Sep 26

The NATIONAL FOOTWEAR QUIZ PROGRAMME

ISFQuiz

ADD DEPTH TO KNOWLEDGE

But beyond the questions, answers and competition, there is something far more meaningful happening.

Organised by the Indian Shoe Federation in association with Mr Ramesh Subramaniam

The Indian Shoe Federation (ISF) hosted a special initiative — the National Footwear Quiz 2026 — on 18 August 2026 at CORIUM Hall, CSIR-CLRI, Chennai, bringing together enthusiastic students from CFTI, FDDI and the Department of Leather Technology, Anna University

Please click to view QUIZ REPORT

Special Presentations on the occasion of

the EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING held on 3rd July 2026

The presentations focused on three strategic themes:

• Sustainability, ESG and the European regulatory landscape.

• Artificial Intelligence for supplier visibility and international business development.

• AI-powered Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solutions for digital transformation.

Collectively, the presentations highlighted how sustainability, digitalisation and artificial intelligence are rapidly becoming indispensable business enablers rather than optional initiatives.

Click on the icon to read/ download the presentations

ISF' EC Meeting held on 3rd July 2026 @ Hotel TAJ Connemara

(click on the image for PHOTO -GALLERY of ISF' EC Meeting)

EC Meeting

Report on the Special Presentations, coming soon

ISF at the Indonesia Footwear Summit

13-15 April 2025, Jakarta, Indonesia, Mr PS Suresh, President, Indian Shoe Federation spoke on"Innovative Materials: Powering a Sustainable Future for Footwear.

Please click here for ISF at the Indonesia Footwear Summit

ISF at CROSSLINX | CSIR-CLRI | 30th March 2026

“The future belongs to connected excellence, not isolated success.” At CROSSLINX’26, held on 30th March 2026 at the Triple Helix Auditorium, CSIR–Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI), Chennai, Mr. P. S. Suresh, President of the Indian Shoe Federation, delivered the Chief Guest address, setting a forward-looking tone for the industry

We are pleased to present our maiden edition.

  • India has emerged as a trusted, value-added global exporter (>USD 5 billion), powered by knowledge, research, and adaptability
  • The next decade will be shaped by four structural shifts
  • Sustainability as a strategic differentiator
  • Material innovation expanding product frontiers
  • Digital & smart manufacturing enabling data-driven operations<
  • Changing consumer behaviour (casualisation & athleisure)
  • The real opportunity lies in integrating these forces—balancing sustainability, innovation, efficiency, and responsibility.
  • Efficiency and yield remain critical, often under-recognised drivers of competitiveness
  • Talent is both India’s biggest constraint—and its greatest opportunity.
  • Global expectations have moved beyond cost & capacity → towards sustainability, agility, innovation, and talent.
  • A message to young professionals: Stay curious. Build both breadth and depth. Own your impact.
  • True synergy will enable India not just to grow—but to define the future of the global leather & footwear industry.
  • Distinguished industry members present included Mr. Ateequr Rahman (Chairman, IFLMEA), Mr. Yavar Dhala (Vice President, ISF), Mr. C. Anbumalar (Vice Chairman, PA Footwear), Mr Raja Babu (President, ALFA), Mr Manoj Bhaiya (Chairman, C & E Ltd) along with Dr. P. Thanikaivelan (Director, CLRI) and Dr. K. J. Sreeram (Scientist H & Head, Department of Leather Technology).
  • #IndianShoeFederation #CROSSLINX2026 #CLRI #LeatherIndustry #FootwearIndustry #Sustainability #Innovation #DigitalManufacturing #MaterialInnovation #SkillDevelopment #MakeInIndia #GlobalTrade #Leadership #FutureOfWork

Please click on the image for more photos

ISF at CROSSLINX

ISF felicitates Mr R Selvam, IAS

The Indian Shoe Federation had the privilege of hosting Mr R Selvam, IAS, Executive Director, Council for Leather Exports, for a Special Talk during its EC Meeting in Chennai held on March 27th, 2026.

Mr Selvam shared valuable insights from his 8-year tenure at CLE, highlighting the growth potential of the Indian Leather & Footwear sector, the importance of industry–government collaboration, and opportunities in both global and domestic markets

He expressed confidence that Tamil Nadu will emerge as the Footwear Capital of India.

ISF members warmly felicitated Mr Selvam and expressed their deep appreciation for his outstanding contribution to the industry.

Please click on the image for more photos

ISF Stride Feb 26

ISF – EC Meeting - Industry Talk Highlights (27th March 2026)

At its EC Meeting in Chennai, ISF held an engaging Industry Talk on key challenges and opportunities in the footwear & leather sector.

Discussions covered rising input costs of petroleum-based materials, pricing pressures, and the need for industry-wide alignment.

The concept of AI-driven “Dark Room Factory” manufacturing and the growing importance of the Indian domestic market were also highlighted.

ISF will explore a meeting with suppliers to better understand cost trends.

Key updates included participation in the Indonesia Footwear Summit, support to the TANSAM Elite Lab, focus on activities of the Innovation Hub, the other 3 pillars - Competitiveness, Sustainability Training and the launch of “Voice of ISF” for member insights

ISF related administrative matters were discussed and a half yearly report of ISF activities was released.

Please click on the image for more photos

ISF_EC Meeting_Highlights

Please click View ISF Half Year Report (Sep 2025 - Mar 2026)