Military Footwear Industry in India is now becoming a major part of the footwear industry & also attracting investors from global industries. Today the use of footwear is not only limited to just cover your feet. As the human race is evolving and moving towards technological advancement every day, the uses and needs to wear footwear are ever-growing.

No doubt wearing cool footwear is also a fashion trend but something more important is being served by the footwear industry to the labourers and the military man.

Not only is it creating new employment opportunities and growing businesses globally but also helping the needy to work safely by protecting lacs of feet as they work for the nation.

Military shoes and safety shoes are now a major part of the footwear industry in India and many global industries are now investing in manufacturing these shoes.

Footwear of any kind especially the military and safety shoes are also a highly important segment for the leather industry in India. It is because most of these shoes are made of leather. Thus the leather industry also relies to some extent on the Safety and Military footwear industry.

The military men are always on duty to protect the nation and to do that they need to be safeguarded. And for this purpose, army shoes, also known as “combat boots” were manufactured that are now becoming a trendy choice for civilians.

These shoes are designed for the military man who needs to climb high mountain ranges, cross dense forests, patrol streets in difficult environmental conditions and perform rigorous combat training daily. Army shoes make it easy for them to do such activities and protect themselves in difficult situations.

These army shoes are designed in such a manner that they are highly durable, light in weight, and resistant to heat and oil which is why they are in high demand among the defence professionals.

Well talking about the military footwear industry, it is on the verge to grow globally. Increased demand for safety measures in the defence sectors is creating a space for army shoe manufacturers in the market.

The Indian military shoes are also exported to different countries. It is emerging as a great source of generating foreign exchange revenue every year for the country along with creating new employment opportunities.

Also the military footwear industry is constantly evolving and introducing new types of footwear for defence personnel. For instance- Non-slip sole, waterproof boots, and steel toes are some of the features that are making the military shoes more appealing. Earlier in India, the army shoes were designed and manufactured only by the “Ordnance factories board”.

But in 2017, the Ministry of Defence announced that private companies too can manufacture and purchase army shoes. This opened a new path for the military footwear industry in India and is now becoming a major source of income for many of the footwear companies.

In addition to this, the “Defence Research and Development organization” decided to design shoes that will track a soldier’s location. Some major market players in the military footwear industry of India are Reebok, Under Armour, Corcoran, and Danner.

Have you ever thought about the labourers who work hard for days and nights just to make our lives easier by manufacturing products?? They are always at a high risk of getting hurt while working in a factory.

To avoid any mishaps at the workplace and protect the feet of the worker in factories and industries, safety shoes came into existence. These shoes are also known as steel-toe boots and steel-capped boots. To reduce the stress at the workplace about falling or slipping on a greasy floor or getting hurt by sharp objects these safety shoes can act as a stress reliever.

Just like the army shoes, these safety shoes are also available in the market with a wide variety of styles and features such as- steel toe cap, shock absorption, steel midsole, anti-skid, oil and heat resistant, and abrasion-resistant.

Moreover, these shoes protect the feet from electrical shocks as they are made of non-conductive materials like leather and rubber. These shoes also safeguard the feet from cold weather, falling objects, or sharp objects.

With the advancement in the footwear industry, the safety shoes became fashionable as the fashion industry got involved in manufacturing them. There are many small and large scale industries in India which are involved in manufacturing safety boots.

Traditionally made by using steel as the main component, the manufacturing industries have now started using aluminum and a kind of plastic named thermoplastic polyurethane.

The footwear industry is constantly evolving and is also trying to improve the design of boots. The Indian army used the same design for 130 years; the only change done in it was the addition of a directly moulded sole.

But now as the footwear market is growing there is a wide variety of boots available for labourers and military men. Many companies are working on developing military and safety shoe designs by the use of nylon, rubber, and leather.

The safety footwear market is now adopting different strategies, performing mergers with other companies, and planning to launch a new product range to make the most out of it.

Upcoming changes in the Indian military and safety shoe industry in 2020-

• Going global by outsourcing
• Company mergers and investments.
• New shoe designs with new safety guidelines
• Increased revenue generation

It is estimated that this industry will grow at 6% CAGR between 2020-2026. But in India, these footwear manufacturing companies have a threat of being thrown out by the local companies and brands producing inferior quality boots that cost very less.