India, Dec. 28 -- From the elegant sandals and shoes worn in ancient Greece and Rome to Debbie Wingham high heels or an Antonio Vietri classic in gold, diamonds and a fragment of a five-century-old meteorite (priced at $19.9 Mn), footwear has been a style and wealth statement all over the globe. India, too, is putting its best foot forward as the second-largest footwear producer and consumer after China. The country is eyeing a $36 Bn market by 2030 from $15.9 Bn in 2023, at a CAGR of more than 12%.

Much of this surge could be attributed to the domestic market driven by rising disposable incomes and changing preferences due to tech and design innovations. After all, who would not prefer a trendy, all-weather 'performance' brand for joggi...