Last updated : February 19, 2026 1:59 pm
Through keynote addresses, panel discussions, and industry reports by BCG, Deloitte, Meta, and Vector, Retail Leadership Summit 2026 focused on how innovation, adaptability, and smart strategies are shaping the future of retail.
The 20th edition of the Retail Leadership Summit 2026 (RLS 2026), organised by the Retailers Association of India (RAI), convened leading voices from across the retail ecosystem at the Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai, on February 16 and 17, 2026. Marking two decades of industry leadership, this edition was bigger, broader in scale and richer in insight than ever before. RLS 2026 provided a powerful platform for thought leadership, innovation and collaboration, addressing the rapidly evolving dynamics of the retail industry.
The summit centred on key themes including customer-centricity, value creation, new-age leadership, sustainability and emerging future paradigms. These focus areas prompted meaningful dialogue among industry leaders, policymakers and technology experts. Through keynote addresses, expert panel discussions and insight-driven knowledge reports from BCG, Deloitte, Meta and Vector, RLS 2026 highlighted the importance of innovation, agility and strategic value creation in shaping the future of retail.
“2025 marked a period of consolidation for Indian retail, with a clear shift from aggressive expansion to strengthening fundamentals – improving customer experience, enhancing the quality of growth, and building sustainable margins across both metros and emerging markets,” said Kumar Rajagopalan, CEO of Retailers Association of India (RAI).
He further added, “As we move into 2026, retail will be defined by leadership and execution rather than standalone technology adoption, with customer centricity, omnichannel integration, sustainability, and future-ready talent emerging as key differentiators, even as AI begins to reshape retail practices and operations. In this context, the Retail Leadership Summit continues to provide much-needed clarity, enabling retailers to look beyond short-term noise and focus on long-term value creation, resilience, and responsible growth.”
RLS 2026 featured the unveiling of key industry reports, offering insights into the evolving retail landscape. The report titled “Retail Agenda for capturing the $2 Tn opportunity by 2033” was released by BCG, Reimagining Retail: Maximizing Omnichannel Business Impact in the Age of AI by Meta and Managing Shelf Space as a Perishable Asset: A New Blueprint for Retail Profitability by Vector.
Over the 2 days, RLS 2026 saw participation of retail leaders, as well as top names in the retail service provider space.