How India became the ideal launchpad for global brands in 2025

In 2025, India’s retail landscape cemented its reputation as an attractive launchpad for international brands, buoyed by a consumer base of nearly 280 million online shoppers and a rapidly growing D2C market projected to exceed $100 billion.

From fashion and beauty to food and QSR, global companies increasingly view India as not just a sales destination but as a strategic growth engine- one that blends scale, digital maturity, and a young, aspirational consumer base.

Here’s a list of the top brands introduced in India this year:

Fashion & apparel: fast fashion to premium luxe

Shein (Singapore): Perhaps the most talked-about comeback of 2025 was Shein’s return to India. The fast-fashion giant, previously banned in 2020 amid data security and geopolitical tensions, relaunched on February 1, 2025, through a licensing partnership with Reliance Retail under the Shein India Fast Fashion app. 

All products are locally produced and operated by Reliance, with strict data localisation measures ensuring Indian customer data stays within the country—a key condition for regulatory approval.

Juicy Couture (USA): The iconic USA-based brand, globally known for its velour cord sets, started its India journey not with its signature tracksuits but through handbags when it opened its first exclusive store in Lucknow in June 2025. The brand is now eyeing expansion into eyewear next, leveraging its timeless aesthetic with Gen Z consumers via social campaigns.

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COS (Sweden): H&M Group’s premium fashion label COS made its India debut in October 2025 with its first store in New Delhi, marking the group’s strategic push into the country’s growing premium apparel segment. Known for its minimalist design language and high-quality essentials, COS entered with price points ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 15,000, positioning itself between mass fast fashion and luxury.

Other notable fashion entries included Bershka (Inditex, Spain), NEXT (UK), OVS (Italy), Maje (France) and Jacadi Paris (France), all of whom targeted segments from Gen Z fast fashion to premium and kids’ wear.

Footwear & sportswear

Lotto (Italy): Italian sportswear brand Lotto entered India in 2025 through a partnership with Agilitas Sports, adopting a distinctly India-centric strategy with a strong focus on cricket. With product pricing ranging between Rs 1,500 and Rs 8,000, the brand aims to build relevance by associating with Indian athletes and local sports culture, while targeting a long-term revenue ambition of Rs 1,000 crore.

Foot Locker (USA): Global sneaker giant Foot Locker launched its omnichannel presence in India in 2025 via Metro Brands for offline retail and Nykaa Fashion for digital distribution, bringing international sneaker culture closer to Indian consumers. With pricing between Rs 4,000 and Rs 15,000, Foot Locker is tapping into India’s rapidly expanding streetwear and sneakerhead community, competing with local multi-brand retailers such as Superkicks and Concept Chaos while betting on collaborations, limited drops, and athlete partnerships.

Snacks & quick bites: Global flavours on Indian plates

Lotte PEPERO (South Korea): South Korea’s Lotte Group introduced its popular biscuit snack PEPERO in India in July 2025, backed by local manufacturing at its Rohtak facility and aggressive mass-market distribution.

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The brand launched India-specific flavours such as masala alongside its classic variants, aiming for Rs 2,000 crore in revenue by 2025. The move underscores how global snack makers are customising flavours and supply chains to win over India’s highly competitive FMCG landscape.

Mondelez Biscoff (Belgium): In November 2025, Mondelez International, in partnership with Belgium’s Lotus Bakeries, brought the globally popular Biscoff caramelised cookies to India, targeting premium urban consumers through e-commerce, cafés and modern trade. With price points between Rs 50 and Rs 150, Biscoff’s India launch reflects the growing appetite for international indulgence snacks, as multinational food companies increasingly view India as a high-growth market for premium everyday treats.

Red Rock Deli (Australia): PepsiCo expanded its Indian portfolio in late 2025 with the introduction of Red Rock Deli, its Australian gourmet chips brand, positioned in the Rs 50–100 premium snack segment. 

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Focused on modern trade and quick commerce channels, the brand’s launch strengthens PepsiCo’s play in the premium snacking space, where consumers are increasingly trading up for differentiated flavours and textures beyond mass-market chips.

Beauty & skincare: Inclusive and affordable premium

Fenty Beauty (USA): Rihanna-founded Fenty Beauty made its long-awaited India debut on August 7, 2025, through partnerships with Sephora and Tira, rolling out across more than 50 stores and online platforms. Priced between Rs 1,500 and Rs 5,000, the brand’s inclusive shade ranges and celebrity-led positioning struck a chord with Indian beauty consumers, with several products selling out shortly after launch, highlighting the country’s growing appetite for global prestige beauty brands.

La Roche-Posay (France): French dermo-cosmetic brand La Roche-Posay entered India in November 2025 in collaboration with Nykaa, strengthening the pharmacy-backed skincare segment with clinically tested formulations priced between Rs 1,000 and Rs 3,000. The brand’s doctor-recommended positioning and focus on sensitive skin solutions reflect rising consumer trust in science-driven skincare and India’s evolving personal care preferences.

H&M Beauty: In October 2025, H&M marked a decade in India by launching H&M Beauty, introducing over 200 cosmetic and personal care products priced largely under Rs 799. Integrated across H&M’s stores and digital platforms, the beauty line reinforces the brand’s lifestyle ecosystem approach, using affordability and accessibility to compete with established local and international cosmetic players.

Food service & QSR

Papa John’s (USA): Pizza chain Papa John’s returned to India in 2025 after a previous exit, unveiling plans for a 650-store franchise expansion with menu pricing between Rs 300 and Rs 600. The re-entry reflects renewed confidence in India’s food delivery and QSR market, which continues to grow on the back of urban consumption, convenience culture, and digital ordering.

German Doner Kebab (Germany): Doner Kebab announced its India entry in 2025 as part of its global expansion strategy, targeting India’s fast-growing QSR segment with a differentiated kebab offering priced between Rs 200 and Rs 500.