After 2020 Ban, Ambani Brings China’s Shein Back To India

India-West News Desk

MUMBAI – Reliance Retail has launched a new app in India to sell fashion items from Shein, nearly five years after Shein’s app was banned in the country amid a diplomatic dispute. The launch, which took place on February 1, follows a licensing deal between Reliance and the Chinese fashion giant. While the company did not officially announce the launch, a source familiar with the matter confirmed the news.

This move marks a shift from Reliance’s usual strategy of incorporating brands like Superdry and Gap into its flagship fashion app, Ajio, to compete with rivals such as Myntra, owned by Walmart’s Flipkart.

Shein, originally founded in China in 2012 and later based in Singapore, is known for offering affordable Western-style clothing. In 2020, its app was banned in India along with other Chinese apps, including TikTok, due to security concerns following a border dispute between India and China.

Last year, India’s government revealed that Reliance had struck a deal with Shein to allow Indian manufacturers to produce items under the Shein brand. While the agreement details were not fully disclosed, it was confirmed that Reliance would pay a licensing fee for the brand’s use, without any equity investment involved.

All products sold under the Shein brand in India will be designed and made locally, with plans to later feature them on Ajio, although no specific timeline was provided.

Shein, which is also planning a listing in London in the first half of the year, had previously attempted to list in the U.S. but withdrew after facing resistance from U.S. lawmakers over China’s requirement for companies to seek approval before listing abroad.