Shein, the Chinese online fast fashion brand, has made a comeback to the India market nearly five years after its ban by re-entry through the country's leading retailer Reliance Retail.
Shein India Fast Fashion App by Reliance Retail presently has more than 10,000 downloads on Google's Play Store and is ranked amongst the top 10 peers on Apple's store.
The brand, based in Singapore, sells affordable fashion products through its app and online stores in India -- one of its fastest-growing markets.
Shein was one of the apps that was banned by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology in June 2020 after escalation of tensions with China.
Almost three years after getting banned in India, Shein signed a partnership in 2023 with Reliance Retail, led by Isha Ambani, the daughter of billionaire Mukesh Ambani.
Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd (RRVL) through its subsidiary RRL (Reliance Retail Ltd), had entered into a technology agreement with Roadget Business Pte Ltd, which owns Shein, to develop an indigenous e-commerce retail platform.
In December last year, the government had informed the Lok Sabha that selling branded products from Shein was not banned, although its app was blocked.
This platform aims to develop a network of local manufacturers and suppliers who will manufacture products under the brand Shein and sell them both in the country and around the world, Commerce & Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said in a written reply.
He added the Ministry of Textiles consulted with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), which in turn consulted the Ministry of Home Affairs, and conveyed no objection to the proposal of RRVL.
"The licence agreement covered the protection that ownership and control of the platform will always remain with RRVL through its wholly owned subsidiary," Goyal said, adding, "as per the agreement, at all times, the platform will be hosted on infrastructure in India and all platform data will remain in India with Shein having no access to, or rights over, such data".
The agreement requires consenting parties to follow Indian laws and ensure localisation of infrastructure and platform data, Goyal added.
Established in 2008, Shein is known for its affordable pricing and is popular among millennials for its trendy women's wear and other apparel.
It was banned, along with 59 apps, by the government citing "threat to sovereignty and integrity" posed by these platforms.
However, Shein products were available in the online market through e-commerce platforms as Amazon. The issues were also brought up at the Delhi High Court.
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