Advanced testing facility set to speed up approvals and reduce costs for local manufacturers
Ghaziabad, 17 May 2026 — The National Test House (NTH) of the Northern Region has established a state-of-the-art Shoe Testing Laboratory in Ghaziabad, the Department of Consumer Affairs said on Saturday. The move is aimed at enhancing testing capacity and quality assurance for footwear manufacturers, exporters, consumers and regulatory authorities across the country.
According to the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, the upgraded laboratory is fitted with modern instruments and infrastructure to evaluate a wide range of footwear products in accordance with applicable Indian Standards. The facility is expected to significantly strengthen India’s quality assurance framework for the footwear sector and support the objectives of the Make in India and Viksit Bharat initiatives.
"The laboratory will significantly enhance NTH’s capability to provide comprehensive, reliable and high-precision footwear testing services for MSMEs, manufacturers, exporters, consumers and regulatory authorities across the country," the Ministry said.
The Ghaziabad facility is located close to major footwear manufacturing clusters in northern India. The Ministry highlighted proximity to Delhi-NCR, Kanpur and Agra as a strategic advantage that will enable faster sample turnaround, cut logistics costs and improve ease of access for industry stakeholders.
- Scope of testing: Safety and industrial footwear, school shoes, leather footwear and other categories listed under relevant Indian Standards.
- Primary users: MSMEs, manufacturers, exporters, consumers and regulatory authorities seeking certified testing and compliance services.
- Expected benefits: Reduced sample transit times, lower logistical expenses, improved market access for tested products, and stronger support for domestic manufacturing competitiveness.
Officials said the laboratory is capable of conducting quality tests across diverse footwear categories. No detailed equipment list or operational timelines were released in the Ministry statement, but the description emphasised high-precision testing instruments and advanced laboratory infrastructure aligned to Indian Standards.
| Feature | Details from Ministry statement |
|---|---|
| Location | Ghaziabad (Northern Region NTH) |
| Primary capability | Comprehensive footwear testing per Indian Standards |
| Key product categories | Safety & industrial shoes; school footwear; leather footwear; others |
| Target users | MSMEs, manufacturers, exporters, consumers, regulatory authorities |
For Ghaziabad and neighbouring districts, the laboratory could become an anchor institution for the local footwear ecosystem. Industry sources often cite delays in sample-testing and transport costs as constraints on smaller manufacturers seeking certification and export clearance; by shortening logistical routes and turnaround times, the NTH facility may ease such bottlenecks.
The Ministry linked the establishment of the Shoe Testing Laboratory to national priorities, saying the initiative will support manufacturing competitiveness and self-reliance by strengthening the quality assurance ecosystem for the rapidly growing Indian footwear industry.
While the Ministry’s release did not provide a target for processing capacity or fees for testing services, the announcement marks a notable expansion of NTH’s regional infrastructure. Observers in the sector will watch how quickly the new laboratory integrates with certification workflows and whether it helps reduce time-to-market for local producers and exporters.
By situating the laboratory in Ghaziabad, authorities have placed a technical resource near several traditional and emerging footwear hubs, a step the Ministry described as intended to facilitate faster testing and lower costs for industry participants in northern India.
The full operational details, including accreditation status, service catalogue and appointment procedures, are likely to be published by NTH Ghaziabad or the Department of Consumer Affairs in follow-up notices.
