Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday, 27 June 2026, spotlighted Indian entrepreneurial excellence at a Business Plenary Session in London, sharing the story of Aqeel Panaruna, founder of Florence Shoe Company from Ambur, Tamil Nadu, as a defining example of what the 'Made in India' label represents on the world stage.

Context

Minister Goyal recounted how an international customer at Cairo Airport spotted a luxury Hugo Boss shoe, checked its label, and found the words 'Made in India' — a product manufactured by Florence Shoe Company. The anecdote, shared by Aqeel Panaruna himself at the London plenary, illustrates how Indian manufacturing has quietly entered the top tier of global luxury supply chains. Goyal quoted Panaruna's experience to make a larger point: 'When you label a product Made in India, you are representing a country.'

Ambur in Tamil Nadu is one of India's oldest and most productive leather and footwear export clusters, with deep roots in export-oriented production for international markets. Florence Shoe Company is among the enterprises from this cluster that have scaled up to supply iconic global brands while maintaining a manufacturing base in rural Tamil Nadu.

Policy Backdrop

The visit comes against the backdrop of ongoing negotiations for a India-UK Comprehensive Trade and Investment Agreement, which both countries formally commenced in January 2022. Post-Brexit, New Delhi has prioritised deeper trade engagement with London to diversify export markets beyond traditional partners, and high-value manufacturing sectors such as footwear and leather are central to that pitch.

The episode also fits squarely within the Make in India initiative, launched in September 2014, which aims to position India as a global manufacturing hub by boosting domestic production and export quality. More recently, the Atmanirbhar Bharat framework has reinforced the emphasis on quality, sustainability, and employment generation as pillars of India's export identity.

Stakeholders and Impact

Minister Goyal highlighted that Florence Shoe Company's work has driven large-scale rural employment, championed women's empowerment in manufacturing, and pioneered sustainable zero liquid discharge technologies — making it a model enterprise beyond mere export volumes. The leather and footwear sector in Tamil Nadu is a significant employer of women workers and rural artisans, and such recognition at an official bilateral platform amplifies the sector's visibility to potential international buyers and investors.

For Indian footwear exporters broadly, the ministerial endorsement at a high-profile London session signals government intent to leverage trade corridor diplomacy to open new doors for mid-sized and small manufacturers who have already demonstrated global quality standards.

What's Next

Progress on the India-UK Comprehensive Trade and Investment Agreement will be closely watched by exporters in sectors ranging from footwear and leather to textiles and engineering goods. Minister Goyal's London engagements are expected to feed into the broader negotiating momentum, with Indian industry participation in upcoming European trade missions likely to follow. If concluded, the agreement could reduce tariff barriers that currently limit the price competitiveness of Indian-made luxury goods in the United Kingdom and, by extension, in other markets where UK-based buyers source globally.

For entrepreneurs like Aqeel Panaruna, and the thousands of manufacturers in clusters like Ambur, the message from the minister is clear: quality and sustainability are no longer just business imperatives — they are the new currency of Brand India's global reputation.