Japanese casual wear designer, manufacturer and retailer, UNIQLO, is accelerating its footprint in India as the region becomes a primary driver for the brand’s global expansion.
According to Kenji Inoue, COO and CFO of UNIQLO India, the retailer is shifting toward larger retail formats following record-breaking performance.
A recently opened 17,000-square-foot store in Bangalore doubled the internal sales projections set by the company, signaling strong consumer demand.
Since entering the Indian market in 2019, the company has maintained a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of nearly 60%. Currently, the brand is growing at 44% year-on-year. This momentum is supported by an e-commerce sector, which has seen a CAGR of approximately 140%.
Despite the rise of “quick commerce” platforms in India, UNIQLO remains cautious, prioritizing its proprietary digital platform to maintain direct customer relationships and service consistency.
Financial data for FY ’25 highlights the market’s profitability:
Revenue: Over $120 million (a 44% year-on-year increase).
Profit After Tax (PAT): $19.46 million, more than doubling previous figures.
PAT Margin: 15%.
While UNIQLO operates in major hubs such as New Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore, Inoue notes that the brand’s footprint remains small relative to the total market size. The company aims for India to become one of its top ten global markets, contributing to parent company Fast Retailing’s medium-term goal of $60 billion in annual consolidated sales — roughly three-fold its current scale of $22.8 billion.
Moving forward, the retailer is focusing on marketing core innovations and linen apparel to further differentiate itself in the competitive Indian landscape.
