Northeast India's seven states demand seven strategies as FDI hits $8.5bn and global brands rush in
Industry panel warns against pan-regional play as Blackstone, H&M, Starbucks, Tim Hortons and Third Wave Coffee target Guwahati. Arihant Retail tailors assortments by community, runs shrinkage under 0.5%. F&B now 42% of mall mix vs 9-10% a decade ago; Gucci's Quest Mall store does ~₹3cr/month.
Industry panel argues Northeast India's seven states need localized retail strategies, not pan-regional. FDI hit $8.5bn in 2025 as Blackstone, H&M, Starbucks, Tim Hortons and Third Wave Coffee target Guwahati and tier-2 cities; Arihant Retail tailors assortments by community.