BIS QCO Amendment 2026 for Footwear Made from Leather and Other Materials

Introduction to the BIS QCO for Footwear Made from Leather and Other Materials

The Footwear made from Leather and other Materials (Quality Control) Order, 2024 was basically introduced by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in order to make sure that footwear products that are being sold in the Indian market meet prescribed quality as well as safety standards. The main objective is to improve product quality, protect consumers, and promote standardization within the footwear industry.

However, the Government has now issued the Footwear made from Leather and other Materials (Quality Control) Amendment Order, 2026, which focuses on introducing important changes mainly relating to implementation timelines as well as exemptions for research and development purposes.

Key Changes You Should Know

1. This Order may now be called the Footwear made from Leather and other Materials (Quality Control) Amendment Order, 2026.
2. The introduced changes of this Order will come into effect from the date of its publication in the official gazette.
3. The validity of the existing exemptions (till 31 July 2026) that have been provided in the original order has now been revised to 31 July 2027.
4. There are also several exemptions that have been detailed in this amendment order for footwear made from leather and other materials. 

Exemptions to this Amendment Order

Nothing in this Order shall apply to the import of goods or articles up to 4500 pairs in a year by manufacturers of leather and footwear products. It is important to note that there are several conditions under these exemptions:

1. Such imports should be exclusively meant for the purpose of research and development.
2. These products must not be sold commercially.
3. These should be marketed and embossed with the words “NOT FOR SALE”
4. Such goods shall be disposed of as scrap.
5. The manufacturer has to maintain a year-wise record and submit the same to the government and authorities whenever required. 

What is the Date of Implementation?

This BIS QCO Amendment 2026 for Footwear made from leather and other materials is effective from the date of publication in the official gazette. 

Benefits of this Order for the Businesses

The Amendment provides several practical benefits to the footwear industry, which mainly include the following:

• There is now additional time for businesses in order to prepare for compliance requirements.
• There is greater flexibility for manufacturers who are conducting product development activities.
• Moreover, there is easier access to global footwear samples as well as innovations for testing.
• Businesses also benefit from greater support for research, design improvement, and product enhancement.
• With encouragement for innovation without affecting commercial compliance requirements, businesses get the confidence to sell smoothly in India.
• There is now a reduced compliance burden for limited non-commercial imports.
• Moreover, there is a continued focus on maintaining quality standards in the Indian footwear market.

Now, What to Do?

Manufacturers, importers, as well as footwear brands should carefully review the revised provisions and assess how they apply to their operations.

At Brand Liaison, we help businesses to easily navigate BIS certification requirements with a practical and business-focused approach. Our team assists with documentation review, testing coordination, certification planning, and compliance strategy, eventually enabling businesses to introduce new products, conduct research activities, and expand into the Indian market with utmost ease and efficiency.