Council For Leather Exports

What Council For Leather Exports does

The Council for Leather Exports (CLE) is an apex trade promotion organization established in 1984 and sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India. Headquartered in Chennai with six regional offices across India's major leather manufacturing clusters (Kanpur, Agra, Jalandhar, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi), CLE serves as the sole Export Promotion Council for the Indian leather and leather products industry. Its functional mandate covers four broad activities: (1) issuance of statutory trade certificates — Export Performance Certificates (0.04% of FOB value), Import Certificates (2% of CIF value), and Certificates of Origin via ICEGATE Swift 2.0 integration; (2) administration of government schemes including the Rs.1,700 crore IFLDP 2021-26 program and its IDLS sub-scheme, in coordination with FDDI, CLRI, and SIDBI; (3) trade fair and event management, including the India International Leather Fair and participant mobilization for international fairs (APLF Hong Kong, MICAM/MIPEL Milan, Expo Riva Schuh); and (4) policy advocacy and industry representation on regulatory issues such as EUDR and US tariff impacts.

CLE is not a commercial enterprise and does not generate meaningful commercial revenue; its operating model is government-sponsored with marginal supplemental income from transaction fees and annual membership dues. Its customer base is the Indian leather export industry — predominantly MSMEs and mid-market manufacturers across the tannery, footwear, leather garments, and saddlery & harness sectors. The industry itself ranks among India's top 10 foreign exchange earners, though recent geopolitical and trade shocks (50% US tariffs causing Rs.1,500 crore in cancelled orders in Kanpur, projected 40% export decline from West Asia shipping disruption, and 50-60% input cost inflation) are pressuring member exporters. Leadership is currently led by Chairman Ramesh Kumar Juneja (also serving as voice on EUDR concerns), Executive Director R. Selvam (IAS), and Vice Chairman Mukhtarul Amin (elected March 2026), with a proposed corporate renaming to 'Council for Footwear & Leather Exports' under member consultation since May 2025.

Name

Council For Leather Exports

Legal name

Council for Leather Exports

Website

https://leatherindia.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Council for Leather Exports (CLE) is an apex Export Promotion Council established in 1984 under India's Ministry of Commerce & Industry, serving Indian leather, footwear, and leather products exporters through certification services, government scheme administration, trade fair organization, and policy advocacy from its Chennai headquarters and six regional offices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Leather Export Trade Promotion Services

NAICS

Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing (316)

SIC

Leather & Leather Products (3100), Wholesale-Durable Goods, Nec (5099)

akta.pro primary industry

Fair Trade & Ethical Supply Chains (Certification, Traceability, Producer Support) (BPAGALAL)

Keywords

• Leather export promotion
• Export certification services
• Trade fair facilitation
• Export development schemes
• Industry policy advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Chennai

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Export Promotion Services: CLE provides export facilitation services including issuance of Export Performance Certificates (EPC), Import Certificates, and certificates of origin. The council also facilitates Duty Free Import Scheme (DFIS) for member exporters.
2. Trade Fairs and Events: CLE organizes India International Leather Fair and facilitates participation in international exhibitions under MAI scheme, providing market access support to exporters.
3. Government Sponsored Operations: CLE is sponsored by Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, and implements government schemes including IFLDP, IDLS, and other export promotion programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Council for Leather Exports (CLE) is the apex government-sponsored trade promotion organization for India's leather, footwear, and leather products industry. It issues Export Performance Certificates, Import Certificates, Certificates of Origin, and RCMC for member exporters; administers export promotion schemes including IFLDP 2021-26, IDLS, DFIS, and the Market Access Initiative (MAI); and organizes the annual India International Leather Fair along with participation in international exhibitions and buyer-seller meets. Its services are directed at Indian leather and footwear manufacturers and exporters to support export growth, modernization, and policy advocacy.

Product overview

The Council for Leather Exports (CLE) is a trade promotion organization sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, established in 1984. CLE does not offer a technology product or platform in the traditional sense; rather, it provides trade facilitation services to leather and leather products exporters in India. Key services include issuance of various certificates (Export Performance Certificates, Import Certificates, Textile Certificates, Certificates of Origin), administration of government schemes such as the Indian Footwear & Leather Development Programme (IFLDP) and Duty Free Import Scheme (DFIS), organizing trade fairs and buyer-seller meets, providing industry data and publications, maintaining a members directory, and conducting webinars and industry outreach events. The organization operates regional offices across India (Chennai, New Delhi, Kanpur, Kolkata, Mumbai, Agra, Jalandhar) to serve exporters.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Export Performance Certificate (EPC) Issuance Government-recognized certification service issued by CLE for member exporters, validating export performance of leather and leather products for purposes of duty drawback, MEIS benefits, and other export incentive schemes. Charged at 0.04% of FOB value, subject to minimum Rs. 4,000 for members.
• Import Certificate (IC) Issuance Certification service for member leather exporters importing raw materials and components under schemes such as the Duty Free Import Scheme (DFIS). Charged at 2% of CIF value, subject to minimum Rs. 200 per certificate.
• Certificate of Origin (Non-Preferential)

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Footwear Design & Development Institute (FDDI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFDDI serves as Project Implementation Unit (PIU) for the Integrated Development of Leather Sector (IDLS) sub-scheme under IFLDP. CLE collaborates with FDDI for release of financial assistance to sanctioned units through identified nationalized banks.
• CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCLRI serves as Project Implementation Unit (PIU) for tanneries under the IDLS sub-scheme. CLE coordinates with CLRI for technology upgradation and modernization support in leather processing.
• DPIIT (Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDPIIT, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, is the implementing authority for IFLDP 2021-26. CLE acts as facilitation agency for the scheme, receiving applications and coordinating with DPIIT for scheme implementation.
• DGFT (Directorate General of Foreign Trade)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCLE assists exporters with DGFT-related procedures, issues RCMC (Registration-Cum-Membership Certificate) which is uploaded to DGFT server, and facilitates various export promotion schemes under FTP.
• Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMIDC is developing a Leather, Footwear & Accessories Cluster at Khardi, Thane District on 150 acres. CLE is facilitating industry participation and coordinating land allotment for exporters.
• UNIDOminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCLE collaborated with UNIDO which launched leatherpanel.org portal containing publications, e-learning materials, and technical resources for leather industry development.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• APEDA (Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority): Indian government-sponsored Export Promotion Council under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry — the closest structural peer to CLE, with an analogous scheme-administration, certification and trade-fair mandate for agri-exports.
• EEPC India (Engineering EPC): India's largest EPC for engineering goods; shares CLE's structure of government sponsorship, certificate issuance (EPC, IC), international trade fair participation and policy advocacy.
• GJEPC (Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council): Apex Indian trade body sponsored by Ministry of Commerce that issues RCMC, organizes flagship fairs (IIJS), runs MAI/IDA scheme disbursement and buyer-seller meets — directly comparable institutional model to CLE.
• Plastics Export Promotion Council (PLEXCONCIL): Government-sponsored EPC for plastics exports; mirrors CLE's institutional architecture, fee-based certification and participation in international trade fairs.
• TEXPROCIL (The Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council): Indian EPC for cotton textiles operating under the same Ministry of Commerce framework with comparable RCMC, scheme administration and trade fair functions.
• Carpet Export Promotion Council: Sister EPC under India's Ministry of Commerce & Industry covering handmade carpets and other floor coverings; operates with similar regional office footprint and export promotion mandate.

Emerging players

• Leather Working Group (LWG): International multi-stakeholder group that audits and certifies leather tanneries/manufacturers globally; CLE's compliance advocacy and EUDR work overlaps with LWG's traceability and certification mandate.

Broad incumbents

• International Council of Tanners (ICT): Global umbrella body for the tanning industry that coordinates on technical, environmental and trade-policy issues — thematically adjacent to CLE's policy advocacy role for Indian tanneries.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cle_india
• Facebookfacebook.com/cleleatherindia
• Instagraminstagram.com/leatherindiacle

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Council For Leather Exports