India, with the 39th edition of IILF – India International Leather Fair, scheduled in Chennai from 1 to 3 February, opens the 2026 “Assomac Around the World” programme and aligns with the broader process of strengthening bilateral economic relations. The event brings together operators and companies from all over the world, including Argentina, Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Taiwan, the Netherlands, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Germany and the United Kingdom, confirming its role as one of the main meeting points for production supply chains in the Asian region.

In the period January–October 2025, Italy ranked second after China among suppliers of leather processing machinery to India, with export values of €12.48 million and a market share of 17.2%, despite a decrease of 14.7% compared to the same period of the previous year. Maintaining a presence in this market is an essential condition for preserving positions in the country, the world’s second-largest footwear producer, with a rapidly expanding leather industry and dynamic commercial interests.

The growth of India’s leather-footwear segment is a structural trend, supported by export performance and by trade agreements that encourage market internationalisation.

The overall value of the leather sector is estimated at approximately €19.6 billion in 2025, with a base of 2,100 companies (92% of which are concentrated in the main districts located in the states of West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab), and is expected to expand to reach €43.5 billion by 2030.

At the Italian National Pavilion in Chennai, promoted by ITA - Italian Trade Agency, covering an area of 280 square metres, Italian participation has recorded encouraging feedback. Twenty-five Italian companies manufacturing technologies and machinery for the leather–footwear supply chain are present, 15 of which are Assomac members. Overall, Italian technology is represented at the fair by more than 60 companies active in the country. «Expectations are positive. The flow of qualified visitors, both from the tanning sector and from the footwear and leather goods segments, confirms the importance of continuing to maintain a presence in the Indian market», comments Agostino Apolito, General Director of Assomac. «To compete with international players, a collective, coordinated and forward-looking vision is essential. Our business system cannot limit itself to isolated actions: this is the time to build alliances, shared commercial plans, investments in innovation and international networks».

During 2026, the Association’s action in support of the internationalisation of Italian manufacturers in the sector will continue in further target markets, starting in March with APLF Leather in Hong Kong, followed by subsequent stages in Asia, Southeast Asia and Latin America.

Assomac

Assomac is the National Association of Italian Manufacturers of Footwear, Leather Goods and Tanning Technology. Founded in 1982, it represents a global reference point for technology applied to these sectors, with over 130 member companies exporting to more than 130 countries. Assomac's mission is to promote and enhance the technological expertise of its member companies, providing customers worldwide with customised solutions, sustainable technology, all-round support, optimal control and management, and continuous innovation. Assomac is a dynamic organisation, which is committed to fostering the growth of its member companies through the promotion of Made in Italy, opening up to new markets and access to innovative technologies. It is also active in creating a modern business culture, disseminating knowledge and sectorial skills and activating supply chain synergies, with the aim of becoming an international reference ‘Technological Square’: a place of meeting and comparison for all operators in the sector.