Shein app returns to India via Reliance deal

Chinese fast-fashion retailer Shein has relaunched in India through a partnership with Reliance Retail, nearly five years after it was banned amid diplomatic tensions between New Delhi and Beijing.

The new Shein India Fast Fashion app, developed and launched by billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Retail, marks the firm’s significant return to one of Asia’s largest retail markets. The app’s revival comes under stringent conditions that give Reliance complete control over operations and data.

Under the partnership structure — disclosed recently by India’s commerce ministry — Shein will operate purely as a technology partner, with Reliance maintaining full ownership of the platform through its subsidiary. The arrangement requires all customer data to be stored in India, with Shein having no access rights.

Shein is initially offering delivery in select cities including New Delhi and Mumbai and plans to expand it to across India “soon,” according to the app description. Products include dresses priced from 350 rupees ($4), with all items designed and manufactured in India by local manufacturers. “The OG is back,” Shein greets on its India app.

The deal represents a rare exception to India’s ban on Chinese apps, which has affected over 300 platforms since 2020. To secure approval, Shein agreed to unprecedented oversight measures, including regular security audits by government-approved cybersecurity firms.

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said recently that the approval process involved extensive vetting by multiple ministries, including IT and Home Affairs. The arrangement aims to boost India’s textile manufacturing sector while maintaining strict data sovereignty.

For Reliance, the partnership marks a departure from its traditional strategy of incorporating brands — such as Japan’s Muji — into its flagship Ajio fashion app.