In a major step towards strengthening India’s footwear manufacturing and quality assurance infrastructure, National Test House Northern Region, Ghaziabad, has established a state-of-the-art Shoe Testing Laboratory under the Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India. The advanced facility is designed to provide reliable, affordable and high-precision footwear testing services for MSMEs, exporters, manufacturers and regulatory agencies.

Strategically located near key footwear manufacturing hubs such as Delhi-NCR, Agra and Kanpur, the laboratory is equipped with modern testing instruments capable of evaluating a wide range of footwear categories including safety shoes, leather footwear, PVC footwear, sandals, children’s footwear, sports shoes and specialized industrial boots.

The facility will conduct comprehensive quality and performance tests covering durability, slip resistance, material strength, comfort and chemical safety in accordance with relevant Indian Standards (IS). By enabling faster turnaround times and reducing logistics costs, the laboratory is expected to significantly benefit small and medium-sized manufacturers seeking quality compliance and export readiness.

The initiative reinforces India’s “Make in India” and “Viksit Bharat” vision by promoting consumer safety, manufacturing excellence and global competitiveness in the rapidly growing footwear sector.