Last updated : March 04, 2025 1:20 pm
With keynote sessions, expert panels, and knowledge reports from BCG, Deloitte, GPTW, PwC, and Vector, RLS 2025 highlighted key factors to navigate the future of retail.
The Retail Leadership Summit 2025 (RLS 2025), organised by the Retailers Association of India (RAI), at Hall No. 6, Bombay Exhibition Centre (NESCO), Mumbai on February 27 and 28, 2025, focused on customer-centricity, value creation, new-age leadership,
sustainability, and future paradigms.
With keynote sessions, expert panels, and knowledge reports from BCG, Deloitte, GPTW, PwC, and Vector, RLS 2025 emphasised the need for innovation, adaptability, and strategic value creation to navigate the future of retail.
Speaking about RLS 2025, Kumar Rajagopalan, CEO, Retailers Association of India (RAI), said, “Retail is evolving rapidly, and success lies in staying relevant, agile, and consumer-focused. At RLS 2025, we explored how retailers can create real value - by improving format relevance, accelerating new revenue streams, and delivering superior consumer experiences. Technology is redefining the way we work, but at the heart of it, retail is still about understanding and serving consumers better. The industry must embrace AI, personalization, and innovation while staying rooted in trust and collaboration. The future belongs to those who don’t just adapt to change but lead it.”
Key highlights of RLS 2025 were a keynotes and special addresses by Ashwin Khasgiwala, Director, Reliance Brands Ltd. and Chief Business Operations Controller, Reliance Retail Ltd.; Dilip Asbe, Managing Director & CEO, National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI); and T. Koshy, MD & CEO, ONDC.
Commenting on the growth and impact of ONDC, T. Koshi, MD and CEO of Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), said, “This is an initiative by the Government of India under the Ministry of Commerce, bringing to reality a vision by our Honourable Prime Minister for digital enablement and democratization of commerce. We started about two years ago, and we have had a good run. Last month alone, we completed more than 16 million transactions across grocery, food, mobility, fashion, and more. While we started with mobility, grocery, and food, in the last few months, we have seen other segments emerging. Currently, over 71,000 merchants are leveraging ONDC, and we anticipate that number to double by next year. I encourage everyone to take the initiative and join this open network. As the years go by and this becomes the primary mode of digital commerce, you will already have established your presence there.”
RLS 2025 featured the unveiling of key industry reports, offering valuable insights into the evolving retail landscape. The RAI - BCG report, Winning in Bharat & India: The Retail Kaleidoscope, explored the dual dynamics of India’s retail market and strategic growth opportunities. The RAI - Deloitte report, India’s Discretionary Spend Evolution: A Roadmap for Brands, analyzed changing consumer spending patterns and their impact on retail strategies.
The PwC report, Retail Reinvention Paradigm, examined the transformative shifts shaping the future of retail. Additionally, Vector Consultancy report, From Threads to Trends: Navigating Supply Chain Complexity in Apparel Retail, provided a deep dive into optimizing apparel retail supply chains. Furthermore, the Best Retail Workplaces 2025 report by RAI – Great Place to Work was unveiled, recognizing outstanding workplaces in the retail sector.
Sharing his perspective on the challenges in the fashion industry, Kulin Lalbhai, Vice Chairman, Arvind Fashions Ltd., emphasised the importance of product differentiation and customer value.
He stated, “One of the biggest challenges in our business is that if you are just copying each other,
you are not really creating customer love. If that happens, the customer can shop from anybody, and the only power you are giving them is based on price. I think that's the slippery slope this business is going down. If you can't truly hold value with the customer, then you're only fighting on price. I truly believe the fashion business is all about the product, everything else is just embellishment. If you don’t get the product right, no matter how good your business model is, you are going to fall flat on your face.”
Sharing his insights on the evolving growth trends in the kitchen appliances industry, Venkatesh Vijayaraghavan, MD & CEO, TTK Prestige, highlighted the resurgence in demand driven by innovation and premiumisation. He stated, "The category saw accelerated growth during COVID, followed by a period of muted growth. Of late, we've seen demand come back driven by innovative products and the premiumization trend in urban markets. The retail segment appears to be the harbinger of this growth, with our retail performance remaining very robust. We believe this bodes well for the category, and we hope RLS showcases both the current momentum and the potential for future growth."
Sharing his insights on the evolving retail landscape, Sankar Chatterjee, CEO, Decathlon India, emphasised the growing significance of OmniCommerce and the changing channel mix in consumer purchasing behavior. He stated, “OmniCommerce is one of the key channels, and we believe our channel mix is changing with time, it will keep changing. Ultimately, it is the customer who decides where they want to buy. The choice between online and offline often depends on the product category, but I believe offline retail will become more experiential rather than just transactional. At the same time, online can also deliver experiences—whether through seamless payments, virtual reality, or influencer-led brand storytelling. The shift in consumer behaviour started even before COVID, and the pandemic only accelerated digital adoption. Moving forward, the future lies in a hybrid strategy that blends the physical and digital, aligning with what customers seek in their long-term relationship with a brand.”
Emphasising the growing demand for convenience and sustainability, Rajesh Jain, MD & CEO, Lacoste India, said,“I look at industry trends, specifically customer trends, because customer trends would define the industry trends, customers are looking for more convenience and products which are socially sustainable or environment friendly. These two trends are likely to stay for a very long time in my view. As for the industry outlook, while there are currently ups and downs, retailers mostly are optimistic by nature, and so am. I believe that after maybe a year or so the industry is likely to pick up very fast. Although we, as a brand, are doing wonderfully well even today, but the industry as a whole, I am confident that the industry as a whole will see strong growth in the near future.”
Additionally, the second day of RLS 2025 featured deep dives into key industry themes, including Retail Real Estate, D2C Growth, Store Design Innovation. Discussions on Retail Real Estate highlighted the shift from traditional brick-and-mortar to experiential spaces that enhance customer engagement. The D2C Summit brought together leading brands to explore strategies for building direct consumer relationships and brand loyalty in a digital-first world.
Meanwhile, the Retail Store Design Summit showcased how innovative layouts and immersive experiences are redefining physical retail. Attendees further gained first-hand insights through the Retail Study Tour, which provided an exclusive look into India's most innovative retail businesses, offering real-world inspiration for the future of the sector. Parallel to RLS 2025, the Retail HR Tech Summit 2025 explored innovations in HR technology, workforce management, and talent development in retail.
RLS 2025 also included the grand felicitation of the crème de la crème of the retail industry with India’s Retail Champions Award 2025 and the Retail Start-up Awards 2025, both evaluated by eminent personalities from the industry as the Jury.