GS1 General Assembly 2025 Champions Trusted Data for Digital Future

GS1 India hosted the prestigious GS1 General Assembly 2025 in Mumbai for the first time, gathering over 150 global leaders, regulators, and technology experts. With the theme “Building Bridges for a Better Tomorrow,” the event emphasized the critical role of trusted data, AI adoption, and digital transformation in enabling future-ready economies and sustainable growth.

During his keynote, Mark Batenic, Chairman of the GS1 Management Board, stated that data quality is non-negotiable in today’s AI-driven world. He noted that seamless and trustworthy data sharing holds transformative potential across industries, from healthcare and retail to logistics and agriculture.

GS1, which marks over 50 years since the creation of the barcode, envisions a future shaped by Vision 2030—a blueprint where global standards, collaboration, and data interoperability create resilient and transparent supply chains.

Renaud De Barbuat, CEO of GS1, stressed the urgency of equipping sectors like healthcare, agriculture, construction, and transport with the tools to thrive in a digital economy. He emphasized trusted identification and interoperability as the foundations for next-gen systems that can operate seamlessly in an increasingly connected world.

S. Swaminathan, CEO of GS1 India, reflected on the journey since its inception in 1996, highlighting GS1’s role in supporting India’s rapidly modernizing retail sector. He noted the industry's strong demand for centralized data registries and GS1’s continued commitment to enhancing trust in the ecosystem. The future, he asserted, demands next-gen barcoding to keep pace with digital regulations.

Vimal Anand, President of GS1 India and Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, remarked on India’s economic rise and digital leadership. As India is poised to become the third-largest global economy, GS1 standards will play a vital role in ensuring systems efficiency and innovation across sectors.

V. Subramaniam, Director at Reliance Retail and Indian representative to the GS1 Management Board, highlighted India’s retail growth, forecasting it to double to USD 2.5 trillion by 2030. He credited GS1 for supporting innovations that make data central to every aspect of commerce.

Tech and business leaders added diverse perspectives to the dialogue.

• Srikanth Velamkanni (Fractal Analytics) discussed the transition from AI models to autonomous reasoning systems, emphasizing the need for responsible AI frameworks.
• Sandeep Hardikar (Network Science) advocated for transparency in AI and urged businesses to adopt integrated technologies like blockchain and IoT alongside AI to build systems based on metrics-driven outcomes.
• Himanshu Chakrawarti (Stellaro Brands) praised GS1 India’s role in e-commerce enablement, highlighting its impact on inventory accuracy and D2C growth in India’s emerging middle class.
• Dr. Maluk Mohammed (Twin Health) spoke on metabolic individuality and how next-gen data tools could revolutionize personalized healthcare, moving from symptom management to root-cause treatment.

The four-day assembly, concluding on May 22, reaffirmed GS1’s commitment to accelerating global digital transformation, building sustainable, transparent, and interoperable systems to shape a better, data-driven tomorrow.