Walmart Inc is expanding its India sourcing and supplier development strategy as global retailers increasingly look beyond China to diversify manufacturing and supply chains across Asia.
At the Walmart Growth Summit India 2026 in New Delhi, the U.S. retail giant said it has sourced more than $40 billion worth of goods from India while ramping up efforts to help small businesses enter global export markets.
The summit comes at a time when multinational companies are accelerating their “China Plus One” strategies amid geopolitical tensions, rising costs, and supply chain disruptions that have reshaped global trade patterns in recent years.
India, with its large manufacturing base and expanding digital economy, has emerged as a major alternative sourcing hub for companies seeking greater supply chain resilience.
“India represents one of the most dynamic opportunities in global commerce today,” Walmart President and CEO John Furner said during the event.
“We’ve already sourced more than $40 billion in goods from India and are focused on strengthening entrepreneur and supplier capabilities, raising compliance and quality standards, and helping scale manufacturing so more Indian businesses are ready to export,” Furner said.
Walmart’s MSME plan for India
Walmart said its Walmart Vriddhi Supplier Development Program has trained more than 115,000 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) since launching in 2019. The initiative focuses on digital commerce, operational capabilities, export readiness and access to international markets.
The retailer plans to support 170,000 MSMEs by 2028 as it expands its supplier ecosystem in one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies.
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For U.S. retailers, India has become increasingly important not only as a consumer market but also as a manufacturing partner across categories including apparel, home goods, food products and consumer merchandise.
Flipkart Group CEO Kalyan Krishnamurthy said digital commerce platforms were helping Indian businesses scale internationally.
“Through initiatives like Flipkart Samarth and Walmart Vriddhi, we are helping build capabilities, improve market access, and create pathways for businesses to grow both domestically and globally,” Krishnamurthy said.
A major focus of the summit was Walmart Marketplace, where Indian sellers received guidance on onboarding, export regulations and cross-border operations aimed at reaching consumers in the U.S. and other overseas markets.
Walmart said the summit drew more than 5,000 registrations from businesses seeking export opportunities through its marketplace ecosystem.
Manish Joneja said Indian businesses were increasingly positioning themselves for international expansion as demand for diversified sourcing grows globally.
The summit follows regional Walmart Growth Summit events in Jaipur and Coimbatore conducted in partnership with India’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade and the Federation of Indian Export Organisations.
Walmart continues to expand its India presence through sourcing operations, supply chain investments, logistics infrastructure and its majority stake in Flipkart, underscoring the country’s strategic importance in the future of global retail and manufacturing.
