Banned No More: With Politically Connected Reliance, Shein In India With Expansion Plans

India-West News Desk

MUMBAI – Once banned in India due to geopolitical tensions, fashion retailer Shein has made a comeback through a strategic partnership with Reliance Retail—and now plans a major expansion of its manufacturing base in the country, with an eye on international exports.

Shein was among several Chinese-linked apps banned by the Indian government in 2020 amid escalating border tensions with China. However, the brand re-entered the Indian market in February 2025 through a licensing agreement with Reliance Retail, a unit of Reliance Industries. Under this deal, Reliance launched SheinIndia.in, a dedicated platform selling Shein-branded apparel made by Indian manufacturers.

Reliance is owned by Mukesh Ambani, known to be close to the Indian government.

Now, Shein and Reliance are setting their sights on rapid growth. According to sources cited by Reuters, the partners plan to increase the number of Indian garment suppliers from 150 to 1,000 within a year. This expansion aims not only to meet local demand but also to export India-made Shein apparel to select global markets within the next six to twelve months.

In a statement to Reuters, Shein clarified that its partnership with Reliance is limited to licensing its brand for Indian domestic sales. “Reliance is responsible for manufacturing, supply chain, sales, and operations in the Indian market alone,” the company said. Reliance has not commented publicly on the expansion plans.