Date: 2026-05-17Category: Press ReleaseState: Union GovernmentCountry: India
National Testing House (NR), Ghaziabad set to unveil the State-of-the-Art Shoe Testing Laboratory, Strengthening India’s Manufacturing and Quality Infrastructure
**Executive Summary**
The National Test House (NR) in Ghaziabad, under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, announced the establishment of a state-of-the-art Shoe Testing Laboratory on 17 May 2026. This facility aims to strengthen India's quality infrastructure by providing affordable, high-precision footwear testing services to support MSMEs, exporters, and the "Make in India" initiative. The laboratory is designed to enhance global competitiveness and ensure product adherence to Indian Standards (IS) across various footwear categories.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Infrastructure and Testing Capabilities**
* Equipped with advanced instruments such as the Bally Water Penetration Tester, Bata Belt Flex Tester, Fibre Board Flex Tester, and DIN Abrasion Tester.
* Evaluates critical parameters including slip resistance, durability, material strength, and the absence of harmful chemicals or dyes.
* Provides quality testing for diverse categories: safety/industrial shoes, school and leather footwear, PVC footwear, sandals, children’s footwear, sports footwear, and specialized protective boots.
**Strategic and Economic Advantages**
* Strategically located near major manufacturing clusters (Delhi-NCR, Kanpur, and Agra) to reduce logistics costs and facilitate faster sample testing.
* Offers affordable testing charges to make quality assessment accessible for MSMEs and small-scale manufacturers.
* Provides a faster turnaround time to improve the ease of doing business for the footwear industry in northern India.
**National Impact and Global Competitiveness**
* Facilitates compliance with both domestic (Indian Standards) and stringent international quality requirements.
* Aligns with the "Viksit Bharat" vision and "Make in India" mission to foster a robust quality assurance ecosystem.
* Supports India’s objective of becoming a global manufacturing hub by enhancing product reliability and export readiness.
**Impact Analysis**
**MSMEs and Small-Scale Manufacturers**
**Impact**
They gain access to high-precision, affordable testing services that were previously less accessible, allowing them to improve product reliability and quality.
**Action Required**
Utilize the Ghaziabad facility to conduct rigorous testing and ensure their products meet Indian Standards (IS) at a lower logistical cost.
**Exporters**
**Impact**
The facility enhances their ability to meet international quality standards, thereby increasing market acceptance and global competitiveness.
**Action Required**
Leverage the laboratory's comprehensive testing services to verify that export-bound products comply with both domestic and international safety and performance benchmarks.
**Consumers**
**Impact**
Consumers benefit from an increased availability of footwear that is verified for safety, comfort, durability, and the absence of hazardous materials.
**Action Required**
Benefit from improved quality assurance and product transparency provided by the national certification infrastructure.
**Regulatory Authorities**
**Impact**
The laboratory strengthens the national quality assurance infrastructure, providing authorities with better tools to monitor and enforce industry standards.
**Action Required**
Use the facility's data and testing capabilities to support quality compliance and ensure the footwear sector adheres to safety regulations.
Key Entities Referenced
National Test House (NTH): The primary organization under the Department of Consumer Affairs that established the new state-of-the-art Shoe Testing Laboratory to enhance India's quality infrastructure.
Department of Consumer Affairs: The central government department overseeing the National Test House and the development of testing facilities to support the footwear sector.
Make in India: A national mission that the establishment of the footwear laboratory aims to support by strengthening manufacturing competitiveness and promoting self-reliance.
Ghaziabad: The central location of the new facility, strategically positioned to serve major footwear manufacturing clusters like Delhi-NCR, Kanpur, and Agra.
Indian Standards (IS): The technical benchmarks and regulatory framework used by the laboratory to evaluate the quality, safety, and performance of footwear products.
Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution
National Testing House (NR), Ghaziabad set to
unveil the State-of-the-Art Shoe Testing
Laboratory, Strengthening India’s Manufacturing
and Quality Infrastructure
Advanced facility to support MSMEs, exporters and
manufacturers with reliable, affordable and high-precision
footwear testing services
Posted On: 17 MAY 2026 1:09PM by PIB Delhi
The National Test House (NTH), Northern Region, Ghaziabad, under the Department of Consumer
Affairs, Government of India, has established a state-of-the-art Shoe Testing Laboratory, significantly
enhancing its capability to provide comprehensive, reliable and high precision footwear testing
services for MSMEs, manufacturers, exporters, consumers and regulatory authorities across the
country.
The establishment of this advanced facility will mark an important step towards strengthening
India’s quality assurance infrastructure for the rapidly growing footwear sector and reinforcing
India’s manufacturing competitiveness.
Footwear forms an essential part of everyday life, and consumers increasingly expect products that are
durable, comfortable, safe, and suitable for long hours of use and varying environmental conditions.
Ensuring such quality requires rigorous testing and evaluation to verify parameters such as slip
resistance, durability, material strength, and the absence of harmful chemicals and dyes.
NTH Ghaziabad’s upgraded Shoe Testing Laboratory is equipped with modern testing instruments and
advanced infrastructure to evaluate a wide range of footwear products in accordance with relevant
Indian Standards (IS). The laboratory is capable of conducting quality testing for diverse categories of
footwear, including:
• Safety and industrial shoes
• School and leather footwear
• PVC footwear
• Sandals and chappals
• Children’s footwear
• Sports footwear
• Specialized protective boots for industrial and hazardous environmentsThe laboratory will undertake a comprehensive range of critical performance and quality tests to
ensure high standards of safety, durability, comfort, and performance. The facility has been designed
to provide accurate, dependable, and timely testing services at comparatively affordable testing
charges, thereby making quality assessment more accessible, particularly for MSMEs and small-
scale manufacturers.
Strategically located in Ghaziabad near major footwear manufacturing clusters such as Delhi-NCR,
Kanpur, and Agra, the laboratory will facilitate faster sample testing, reduce logistics costs, and
improve ease of access for the footwear industry in northern India.
The establishment of the Shoe Testing Laboratory represents a significant strategic initiative towards
supporting India’s expanding footwear manufacturing ecosystem and strengthening the national
quality infrastructure. The facility will assist manufacturers in meeting stringent domestic and
international quality requirements, thereby enhancing product reliability, consumer safety, export
competitiveness, and market acceptance.
The laboratory will play an important role in facilitating quality compliance and improving the
global competitiveness of Indian footwear products by supporting adherence to stringent domestic
and international standards.
Key Highlights of the Facility
• State-of-the-art footwear testing infrastructure established at NTH (NR), Ghaziabad •
Comprehensive testing capabilities for multiple categories of footwear • Testing as per
relevant Indian Standards (IS)
• Support for MSMEs, exporters, manufacturers, and regulatory agencies • Faster
turnaround time due to proximity to major footwear manufacturing hubs •
Affordable and accessible testing services for industry stakeholders • Enhanced
support for quality compliance and export readiness
• Contribution towards strengthening India’s national quality infrastructure
By strengthening testing and certification infrastructure, the initiative is expected to contribute
towards enhancing consumer confidence, improving product quality and supporting India’s vision of
becoming a global manufacturing hub for quality products.
This initiative aligns closely with the vision of “Viksit Bharat” and the objectives of the “Make in
India” mission by strengthening manufacturing competitiveness, promoting self-reliance, and
fostering a robust quality assurance ecosystem for the Indian footwear industry.
Glimpses of Advanced Footwear Testing Equipment at NTH (NR), Ghaziabad Shoe Testing
Laboratory
Bally Water Penetration Tester Bata Belt Flex Tester************
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