New Delhi, Oct. 6 -- India needs to strengthen skilling by expanding apprenticeship-based training, adopt modern technology and create innovative designs to boost footwear exports, NITI Aayog said in its latest 'Trade Watch Quarterly Report'.

The report, released on Monday, calls for promoting research and development (R&D) for footwear design innovation, and bridging material gaps through domestic production of soles, moulds, and synthetic uppers, which cover the top of the foot.

The country must also modernize fragmented MSME (micro, small, and medium enterprises) clusters with vertical industrial complexes and plug-and-play parks offering shared testing, compliance, logistics, and machinery access to cut costs and boost competitivene...