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Japanese apparel giant Uniqlo is gearing up for a significant expansion in India, with plans to scale its retail footprint to more than 100 stores by 2031.
The expansion is expected to increase the brand's store network in the country fivefold, with a strong focus on New Delhi and other key metropolitan markets.
As part of its India strategy, Uniqlo will continue importing apparel from its manufacturing partners across Asia while also increasing local production to comply with domestic sourcing requirements.
Owned by Japan's Fast Retailing, Uniqlo operates more than 2,500 stores across over 25 international markets. The retailer entered India in 2019 and had expanded to 20 stores across New Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru as of June.
The planned expansion aligns with Uniqlo's broader strategy to strengthen its presence across the Global South, particularly in South and Southeast Asia, where the company sees strong long-term growth opportunities.
Despite its ambitions in India, the retailer's footprint remains considerably larger across Southeast Asia. Uniqlo currently operates 81 stores in the Philippines, 78 in Indonesia, 73 in Thailand, 60 in Malaysia, and around 30 each in Singapore and Vietnam.
The company's momentum in the region has been strong. Combined sales from South Korea, Southeast Asia, India and Australia rose 32 per cent during the first nine months ended May, with India and Southeast Asia continuing to deliver double-digit sales growth.
“We see Asia as the next global growth centre in the long term,” Takeshi Okazaki, CFO of Fast Retailing, informs. “As we have successfully done in the US and Europe, Fast Retailing will strengthen its brand power in Asia, including by enhancing its product lineup and store operations.”
