India’s Reliance and Shein to boost local supply, eye global exports in 2025
09 June, Mumbai 2025
Fashion e-commerce giant Shein and its India partner Reliance Retail plan to scale up their Indian supplier network from 150 to 1,000 within a year and begin exporting India-made Shein-branded garments to global markets within six to 12 months, according to sources familiar with the matter. <p>
The China-founded, Singapore-headquartered Shein is working with Reliance to tap India’s manufacturing base amid US tariff pressure on Chinese imports. Shein, which sells ultra-low-cost apparel like $5 dresses and $10 jeans, returned to India in February 2024 under a licensing deal after a 2020 ban. It now operates via SheinIndia.in with locally produced stock.<p>
Reliance has already contracted 150 garment manufacturers and is in talks with 400 more. The goal is to start listing Indian-made products on Shein’s US and UK websites, as part of a broader export strategy. Initially focused on domestic sales, the collaboration is now pivoting to Shein’s global supply chain.<p>
The Indian government has endorsed the venture, with Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal stating it would serve both domestic and overseas markets.
The companies are also replicating Shein’s on-demand production model, starting with small batches and scaling up designs that perform well. Reliance has sent teams to China to study Shein’s agile supply chain and data-driven marketing.
The app has gained traction with 2.7 million downloads and 120 per cent month-on-month growth. To support this expansion, Reliance plans to help suppliers with synthetic fabric sourcing, machinery imports, and capital investment, boosting India’s role in global fashion manufacturing.
