Walk into any college canteen, metro station or weekend brunch spot in an Indian city today and you will spot the same thing: sneakers everywhere. Not the plain white trainers your parents bought for morning walks, but limited drops, chunky silhouettes, pastel colourways and pairs that cost more than a month of groceries. India is in the middle of a full-blown sneaker craze, and the numbers say it is only getting started.
Research firm IMARC Group puts the Indian sneaker market at USD 4.21 billion in 2026, up from USD 3.98 billion in 2025, and projects it will reach USD 6.53 billion by 2034. That is steady growth of 5.65 percent a year. A separate estimate for the wider athletic footwear market, which includes running shoes, puts it at USD 6.64 billion this year and USD 9.92 billion by 2034. Whichever way you slice it, Indians are buying more sneakers than ever before, and they are paying more for them too.
From sports shoes to status symbols
For a long time, sneakers in India meant one thing: sport. You wore them to play cricket, to jog, or to the gym. That has changed completely in the last five or six years. Sneakers are now a fashion statement, a piece of identity, and for many young buyers, the most important item in their wardrobe.
As The Telegraph reported this weekend, India is a status-driven country and everyone wants to be a part of this sneaker cool club. The biggest names in Indian film and cricket, Ranveer Singh, Ranbir Kapoor, Shah Rukh Khan, Hardik Pandya and Diljit Dosanjh, are all known sneakerheads, and their choices set trends overnight. Earlier this year, Adidas launched its first ever co-created sneaker in India with Ranveer Singh, a sign of how seriously global brands now take the Indian market.
The shift is visible in everyday life too. Brides are swapping heels for customised sneakers at their weddings. Limited drops sell out in minutes. And resale platforms have turned rare pairs into a small economy of their own, with thousands of individual resellers buying fresh drops at market price and selling them on at a premium.
Homegrown brands are leading the charge
Perhaps the most interesting part of the story is that Indian brands, not just the global giants, are driving the craze. Bengaluru-based Comet asked its customers earlier this year whether they would peel a sneaker for their loved one, a playful nod to the Orange Peel Theory that went viral on TikTok. Its latest drop played on the same idea.
Days ahead of this year’s Durga Puja, another Indian label, Gully Labs, launched a limited collection called Manik Red. Both brands are part of a wave of design-led homegrown labels selling directly to shoppers online, in the accessible premium band of roughly Rs 3,000 to Rs 7,000 that analysts call the sweet spot of the market. At Rs 2,500, sneakers are commoditised, industry watchers say. Above Rs 7,000, the market gets too small. The action is in between.
Resale platform Crepdog Crew has reported nearly 100 percent growth over the past year and is targeting Rs 200 crore in revenue for FY26. Marketplace Myntra says its sneaker category saw strong growth in demand in the first quarter of 2026, led by Gen Z and millennial buyers.
Running is fuelling the boom
The other engine behind the craze is India’s running boom. Marathon participation is rising, run clubs are popping up in every big city, and global brands are racing to cash in. Nike unveiled its first running shoe designed specifically for India, the Vegam Run, priced at Rs 3,795, which went on sale on November 1 through Flipkart and select retail outlets.
Japanese brand Asics has set its sights on becoming India’s leading seller of running shoes by 2029, targeting annual growth of as much as 35 percent in the country over the next five years. Running shoes already account for nearly a third of India’s athletic footwear market, according to IMARC Group.
The festival that proves the point
If you want one number that captures how far sneaker culture has come in India, look at the Indian Sneaker Festival. It started in 2021 with just 500 people at a rooftop bar in Delhi. By 2025, it had gone international, with global popstars Tyla and 21 Savage performing and around 25,000 people in attendance. This year’s edition is scheduled for December in New Delhi.
That journey, from a 500-person rooftop gathering to a 25,000-strong festival with international headliners, is the sneaker story in miniature. What was once a niche import from American hip-hop culture is now a mainstream Indian lifestyle category.
For buyers, the advice from seasoned collectors is simple: buy what you love, not what the hype tells you to buy. Limited drops will come and go, prices will rise and fall, but the pair you actually wear is the one worth owning. With the market heading towards USD 6.53 billion by 2034, there will be no shortage of choice.
FAQs
How big is India’s sneaker market in 2026?
According to IMARC Group, the Indian sneaker market is worth USD 4.21 billion in 2026, up from USD 3.98 billion in 2025, and is projected to reach USD 6.53 billion by 2034.
Which Indian sneaker brands are popular right now?
Homegrown labels like Comet, Gully Labs, Thaely, Neeman’s and CHK are among the fastest-growing names, alongside global brands Nike, Adidas, Jordan and ASICS.
What is the Indian Sneaker Festival?
It is India’s biggest sneaker culture gathering. It began in 2021 with 500 people in Delhi, drew around 25,000 attendees in 2025 with performances by Tyla and 21 Savage, and returns to New Delhi this December.
How much do popular sneakers cost in India?
The fastest-growing segment is the accessible premium band of roughly Rs 3,000 to Rs 7,000, though limited edition drops and resale pairs can cost far more.
Why are sneakers so popular with young Indians?
Gen Z and millennial buyers treat sneakers as self-expression rather than just athletic gear, driven by celebrity culture, social media, limited drops and the rise of athleisure in everyday fashion.
India’s sneaker story is still being written, one drop at a time.
