The Indian government has projected a cumulative average growth rate in the leather industry of 13.47% for the period 2006-2011. Based on the current trends in international trade under the WTO regime, and the Indian industry's potential, the development schemes that have been proposed or are in the pipeline, it is envisaged that India’s total leather exports could reach a target of $5.08 billion by the financial year 2010-2011.

This will mean that the Indian leather industry will represent a 4.5% share (from 2.51%) of the total global leather exports of $116 billion.

The production value is set to increase to Rs600 billion from the present Rs250 billion and one million additional jobs are set to be created.

Speaking at a presentation at the recent India International Leather Fair (IILF) in Chennai, India, Dr K. Elangovan, executive director Council for Leather Exports (CLE), said that the Indian leather industry has huge potential and liberal government policies backed by development of leather parks and infrastructures would certainly help to achieve this ambitious target.

He projected that annual exports of finished leather would reach $690 million this year compared with $577 million last year, followed by leather footwear and uppers which are set to rise to $2,130 million, leather garments to $610 million, leather goods to $110 million, saddlery and harnesses to $159 million and non-leather footwear to $381 million from $766 million, $319 million, $568 million, $60 million and $90 million respectively in 2004-05.