Retail leaders and industry stakeholders discuss expansion strategies, localised retail models, and evolving consumer behaviour across North-East India

The Retailers Association of India (RAI) organised the fourth edition of the North East Retail Summit 2026 in Guwahati, continuing its focus on the retail sector in the region. The summit has developed into a platform for industry stakeholders to discuss retail trends, regional challenges, and growth opportunities in North-East India.

The event featured participation from retail professionals, entrepreneurs, and business representatives from Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram. Discussions focused on strengthening the retail ecosystem, addressing region-specific market conditions, and identifying opportunities for organised retail expansion.

Kumar Rajagopalan, Executive Director and CEO, Retailers Association of India, speaking on the retail landscape in North East India, said, “The Northeast has become one of its most important chapters in India's consumption story. Several states in this region are remarkably advanced in their outlook, and that shows up directly in purchasing behaviour. E-retail penetration here already runs 1.2 times the national average, and the Korean beauty and fashion influence is a documented shift in how the Northeast consumer defines aspiration. What makes this region genuinely compelling is its diversity. Consumption patterns change every hundred kilometres. It tells you this is a market with texture, with specificity, with consumers who know exactly what they want. The region rewards retailers who localise seriously and think globally"

The 2026 summit featured sessions on topics including “One Region, Seven Markets – Why a Single Northeast Strategy Will Fail You”; “The Real Unit Economics – What Profitability Actually Looks in The Region”; “Trust is Not a Soft Metric – How Local Community Relationships Determine Retail Outcomes”; and “The Northeast Consumer on Their Own Terms – Aspiration, Identity, and What They’re Actually Buying.”

Retail leaders participating in the summit included Vikram Bothra, MD & CEO, Chandan Retail (Askaran Binjraj) and Chairman, RAI – North East Chapter; Kunal Mordani, Director, Tanishkaa Retails Pvt. Ltd.; Anirban Gupta, Managing Director - East India, Colliers India; Raja Gohain, Director, MG Solutions (Times Square); Gaurav Sureka, Founder, Maa Kamakhya Retails and Shop N Save; Sandeep Jalan, Director, Sohum Shoppe; and Arita Kashyap, Founder & CEO, Doyna, among others.

Vikram Bothra MD & CEO, Chandan Retail Pvt. Ltd, Chairman, Northeast Retail Chapter, RAI, said: “I've watched this region for years, and what's different now isn't just the roads or the airports, though that matters. What's different is the confidence. The Northeast retailer today is thinking in terms of expansion, not survival. The consumer across these seven states has always been sophisticated, always been aspirational. What's changed is that the ecosystem around them — the supply chains, the formats, the investment appetite — is finally catching up. We're not at the beginning of this story. We're at the part where it gets interesting.”

Siddharth Jalan, Managing Director, Sohum Shoppe, said, "The Northeast consumer is not waiting for the rest of India to validate what they already know they want. This is a region where Korean beauty, Korean fashion, and East Asian aesthetics aren't niche interests — they are mainstream purchasing behaviour. The consumer here arrived at that preference organically, ahead of the national curve, and organised retail is only now beginning to respond with the seriousness that it deserves."

RAI stated that the summit aimed to support industry growth, partnerships, and regional retail development as North-East India continues to emerge as a growing retail market.

The summit was co-powered by Infinity. Gold Partners included Askaran Binjraj and Soham. The Retailers Association of Assam participated as Ecosystem Partner, while TRRAIN was Charity Partner, Storai served as Magazine Partner, and Replenish participated as Digital Marketing Partner.