Punjab Industries Dept Inks Pact With Footwear Design & Development Institute

• Punjab will set up a sports goods testing and development lab in Jalandhar.

• Footwear and accessories testing centres will give MSMEs closer access to quality assurance services.

• The partnership also includes skilling, design support, research collaboration and startup incubation.

Punjab Industries and Commerce Department on Tuesday signed an agreement with the Footwear Design & Development Institute (FDDI) to strengthen the state's sports goods, footwear and leather manufacturing ecosystem.

Industries and Commerce Minister Aman Arora termed the memorandum of understanding (MoU) a decisive step in transforming the state's traditional strengths into technology-driven, globally competitive capabilities, according to an official release.

"Our objective is to provide the sector with modern testing infrastructure, skilled manpower, design and innovation support and stronger market linkages. This partnership will enable our MSMEs to become part of national and global supply chains and expand their export presence," he stated.

At the heart of the partnership is the proposed Sports Goods Testing and Development Laboratory in Jalandhar, one of the country's foremost manufacturing hubs for sporting equipment.

Additionally, the collaboration will roll out Footwear and Accessories Testing Sample Collection Centres across Punjab, enabling micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to access professional quality-assurance services closer to their production units, the minister added.

Arora said that the MoU also envisions a centre of excellence and a robust skilling framework that brings together industry, academic institutions, startups and technical experts.

Tailored training programmes will focus on emerging areas such as design, product development, quality assurance, retail and fashion accessories, he said, adding that this infrastructure push is designed to help manufacturers reduce product-development time, meet the stringent technical requirements of major brands and enhance their competitiveness in both domestic and export markets.

The partnership will foster entrepreneurship development, startup incubation, research collaborations and faculty-expert exchanges to steer Punjab's industrial base toward higher-value, innovation-driven manufacturing, while bridging gaps in testing infrastructure, skilled manpower and market readiness that have long held back the state's traditional industrial clusters, he added.

Administrative Secretary, Industries and Commerce, Gurkirat Kirpal Singh, said that the collaboration would facilitate technology adoption and capacity-building under central and state schemes.