Hajipur: Russian Army is quite impressed with the ‘Made in Bihar’ shoes. The Russian military, currently engaged in combat in Ukraine, is using these shoes made in Hajipur for their operations. The city of Hajipur in Bihar is making its mark by producing shoes for the Russian Army. The company Competence Exports Private Limited, based in Hajipur, manufactures security shoes for Russia and designer shoes for European markets. Currently, they are also supplying shoes to the Russian Army.
These shoes are made by a startup in Hajipur, near Patna, Bihar which was established in 2020 under Nitish Kumar’s leather policy & are used by the Russian Army in the Ukraine war.
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Shoes for the Russian Army Being Made in Bihar
#WATCH | Hajipur, Bihar: General Manager of Competence Exports Private Limited, Shiv Kumar Roy says, “… We started the Hajipur facility in 2018 and our main interest is to generate local employment. At Hajipur we make safety shoes which are meant to be exported to Russia…… pic.twitter.com/p98OV1qnN3
— ANI (@ANI) May 17, 2024
Shiv Kumar Roy, the General Manager of Competence Exports Private Limited, shared that they started the Hajipur unit in 2018. One of the main goals of this initiative is to generate local employment. In Hajipur, they manufacture security shoes intended for export to Russia. The entire export is directed towards Russia.
Regarding the requirements for security shoes for the Russian Army, Shiv Kumar Roy mentioned that the shoes need to be lightweight and slip-resistant. They should feature special characteristics in the soles and be capable of withstanding extreme weather conditions, such as minus 40 degrees Celsius. We design our security shoes keeping these conditions in mind. Our shoes have received an excellent response in Russia. Our company is one of the largest shoe exporters to Russia, and we hope to see the numbers continue to grow.
Export of Shoes Worth 100 Crores Last Year
Shiv Kumar Roy stated that the company’s MD, Dhanesh Prasad, aspires to build a world-class factory in Bihar and contribute to the state’s employment. We are making every effort to provide maximum employment, with 70% of our 300 employees being women. Last year, we exported 1.5 million pairs of shoes, valued at 100 crores INR, and our goal is to increase this by 50% next year.
Manager Shiv Kumar Roy further mentioned that while the Bihar government has supported and promoted industries, there is still a need for improvements in infrastructure, such as roads and better communication, to facilitate easier interactions with Russian buyers. He also noted the need for skilled and ready-to-work laborers, suggesting the establishment of a training institute to provide a skill-ready workforce. Otherwise, they would have to train workers before employing them.
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Production of Fashionable Shoes for the Russian Army
The Hajipur unit also exports luxury designer or fashion shoes to European markets such as Italy, France, Spain, and the UK. Mazhar Pallumiah, the Head of Fashion Development and Marketing at the company, stated that their goal is to develop high-quality shoes for international brands. They have recently started discussions with a Belgian company.
Pallumiah mentioned that initially, foreign companies had some doubts, but they were reassured once they received the samples. He added that they hope some companies will visit the factory next month. Starting a fashion industry in Bihar and Hajipur is a challenge, but with the promoters’ vision and government support, they are confident about progressing in this direction.
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