New Delhi, May 17 (IANS) The Ministry of Consumer Affairs on Sunday said the National Test House (NTH), Northern Region, Ghaziabad, has significantly upgraded its footwear testing capabilities with the establishment of a modern Shoe Testing Laboratory equipped with advanced instruments and infrastructure.

The advanced facility is aimed at strengthening India’s quality assurance infrastructure and boosting the competitiveness of the country’s fast-growing footwear industry.

The laboratory has been set up to conduct comprehensive quality testing for a wide range of footwear products in accordance with relevant Indian Standards (IS).

The ministry said the facility will help ensure that footwear products meet essential quality benchmarks related to durability, comfort, safety and performance.

According to the government, consumers today increasingly expect footwear products that are durable, comfortable and suitable for prolonged use under different environmental conditions.

To meet such expectations, rigorous testing is necessary to assess parameters such as slip resistance, material strength, durability and the presence of harmful chemicals or dyes.

The upgraded laboratory at NTH Ghaziabad will be capable of testing multiple categories of footwear, including safety and industrial shoes, school and leather footwear, PVC footwear, sandals and chappals, children’s footwear, sports footwear, and specialized protective boots used in industrial and hazardous environments.

The ministry said the facility will undertake several critical performance and quality tests while offering dependable and timely testing services at comparatively affordable rates.

The initiative is expected to make quality assessment more accessible for MSMEs and small-scale footwear manufacturers.

Strategically located near major footwear manufacturing hubs such as Delhi-NCR, Kanpur and Agra, the laboratory is also expected to reduce logistics costs and improve turnaround time for sample testing, benefiting footwear businesses across northern India.

The government said the establishment of the facility represents a major step towards strengthening India’s national quality infrastructure and supporting the country’s expanding footwear manufacturing ecosystem.

It is expected to help manufacturers comply with both domestic and international quality standards, improving product reliability, consumer safety and export competitiveness.

Officials added that the laboratory will play a key role in facilitating quality compliance and enhancing the global acceptance of Indian footwear products.

The initiative is aligned with the government’s vision of “Viksit Bharat” and the “Make in India” mission, aimed at strengthening manufacturing competitiveness, promoting self-reliance and building a robust quality assurance ecosystem for Indian industry.

–IANS

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