Speaking to the The Financial Express, he said that IGEP had played a key role along with the other institutions like the Council for Leather Exports (CLE) and Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI), in getting India the `Partner Nation' status for the GDS International shoe fair from September 9 to 12.

The main thrust of the partnership concept has been to project ``India's achievements in producing high quality leather and proclaim to all the sceptics in Europe that Indian leather is behind none in quality, eco-friendliness, elegance, durability and fashion, and apart from the country's capabilities in producing different varieties of leather shoes andcomponents''.

About the propaganda against Indian leather in the western press, Kebschull said that most of it should be originating from Asia itself. ``The question being asked is how can the Indians produce such high quality products and sell at such low prices unless they fail in standards,'' he said.

The IGEP director said, "so far India has been just reactive defending its products and positions. Now it has to be pro-active and does impressive marketing". The Messe Duesseldorf, the organisers of the fair, the German and European buyers are happy that India is given an opportunity to be in the limelight and they believe that the country has made good use this opportunity, he said.

"The partnership in the Dusseldorf fair was particularly rewarding as it was announced in the whole of Europe. People from Italy and France have commented that you have done a good job for Indo-German relations," he said.

India exports about 30 million pairs of shoes, out of which Germany accounts for about 18 per cent.The US and the UK are the major markets with 29 per cent share each. The rest is exported to other parts of Europe and the world.

Kebschull does not believe that it is necessary to have large shoe factories to cater to the needs of Europe just because China have large factories. India need not and should not change the character of its leather industry for the sake of competition. Its small character has its own advantages mainly as a job provider. Moreover, of late the orders from Europe are not too big. Even the top 10 companies can cater to the current level of orders. If there are large orders, companies should consider synthesising their synergies and exploiting world market as a team.

He is of the firm belief that India has great potential and future in shoe sector which has been well demonstrated at GDS. "But this is only the beginning. Indian companies should go back to Dusseldorf and similar other events around the globe year after year and should be in the eyes of the world."

The partnershipprogramme is not new. "In 1989 India was a software partner at the Hannover Fair, which had raised many an eyebrow then. But now, India is on top of the world in software. In 1998, India was partner country for the home furnishing and textile exhibitions in Germany. Indian skills in handlooms, powerloom and mill-made fabrics were brought to the fore and catalysed trade in those products.

"A similar push is needed in leather and we have begun with the shoes. India needs such expositions to change the old concept that India is substandard to India is superb, and to push up its trade with Germany and the whole of Europe, the IGEP director said.

IGEP is a joint trade promotion programme of the ministry of commerce and the German ministry of economic co-operation and development (BMZ). Since its inception in 1988, the project has helped the promotion of Indian exports to Germany. IGEP's co-operation with Indian companies include information on market needs, technical advices and counselling for productdevelopment, quality standards and improvement in production process, marketing products, organising trade fairs and facilitating technology transfers and long-term business collaboration with business partners.