The government has given micro and small enterprises (MSEs) in the non-leather footwear sector one more year, until July 31, 2027, to comply with the mandatory quality control order (QCO).

The move will give smaller footwear manufacturers additional time to obtain certification from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).

It has also allowed footwear manufacturers to import up to 4,500 pairs annually for research, design development, testing and other non-commercial purposes without complying with QCO requirements, according to a notification issued by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).

However, such imported footwear is "not be sold commercially, be marked and embossed with the words 'NOT FOR SALE' and disposed of as scrap", it said in the notification amending the Footwear made from all Rubber and all Polymeric Material and its Components (Quality Control) Order, 2024.