The new Shein India app was officially launched on 1 February 2025, according to Reuters, which cited an insider familiar with the company’s strategic plans.
The app is said to provide consumers with access to a range of affordable Western fashion with prices for dresses starting at Rs350 (approximately $4).
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The initial delivery rollout is expected to be confined to major urban centres such as New Delhi and Mumbai with a broader nationwide expansion in the foreseeable future.
The Singapore-headquartered brand was prohibited in India alongside other Chinese applications like TikTok due to geopolitical tensions that raised alarms regarding data security.
On 29 June 2020, the Indian Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeITY) invoked section 69A of the Information Technology Act 2000 to block the Shein application on both mobile and other internet-enabled devices.
In December 2024 in a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal told Parliament that the sale of Shein-branded products within India continued without restriction.
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By GlobalDataHe also said that Reliance Retail Ventures Limited (RRVL), through its subsidiary Reliance Retail, had forged a technology partnership with Singapore-based Roadget Business, which operates under the Shein brand name.
The collaboration aims to establish a domestic e-commerce platform that will connect local manufacturers and suppliers. These entities will produce items under the Shein label for sale in India and international markets.
This initiative is anticipated to bolster the growth of India’s textile manufacturing industry, including indigenous handicrafts, while generating substantial employment opportunities.
Following consultations between the Ministry of Textiles, MeITY, and the Ministry of Home Affairs, no objections were raised regarding RRVL’s proposal.
The licensing agreement stipulates that ownership and control of the new platform must remain exclusively with RRVL via its wholly-owned subsidiary, according to the minister.
The agreement also mandates that all operational data from the platform —including personal and non-personal information collected from Indian customers — will be stored within India with Shein having no access or rights to this data.
The terms require adherence to Indian legislation and mandate that both infrastructure and data localisation are maintained within India.
RRVL has been advised to comply with all applicable Indian laws and to subject its infrastructure to security audits by government-approved cybersecurity auditors as needed, the minister noted.
According to an official from Reliance Retail, Shein intends to utilise India as a supply hub for its global operations and will assist Reliance Retail in establishing a network as well as training for local garment manufacturers.
Since its launch, the app has already been downloaded by over 10,000 users, according to a report by global news publication, the BBC.
Furthermore, Shein-branded items are anticipated to be available on Ajio online shopping platform at a later date, although no specific timeline for this integration has been provided.
Alice Price, apparel analyst at GlobalData commented: “Shein’s re-entry into India represents a lucrative opportunity, enabling the giant to capture spend in the fast-growing economy, where it had been widely popular before its ban in 2020.”
Neither Shein nor Reliance Retail had responded to Just Style’s request for comment at the time of going to press.
Shein is said to be pursuing a listing on the London Stock Exchange during the first half of 2025.
This decision follows the company’s withdrawal from an earlier attempt to list in the US on account of regulatory scrutiny.
In January the company confirmed it does not allow cotton made from China in products that are sold in the US.
