China’s Anta mounts India comeback as bilateral ties improve

Anta Sports Products Ltd. will kick off its India return next month with a store in the New Delhi suburb of Gurugram, the company’s local partner said, as the Chinese sportswear maker takes another run at the world’s most populous market.

Ten stores are planned across India by March 2027, said Kashika Malhotra, a director at Brandman Retail Ltd. — Anta’s partner that’s spearheading the relaunch. Apparel will carry an average price of about 8,000 rupees ($85), positioning the brand in the premium segment of the market, while footwear will be priced at about 9,000 to 10,000 rupees on average, she said.

“They see a lot of growth in India,” she said. Anta is attempting to rebuild its presence in India after more than five years away. The Fujian-based company previously opened a store in India in 2020 but shut it soon after amid then deteriorating relations between New Delhi and Beijing.

Anta’s return comes as Indian consumers show renewed appetite for Chinese brands — from electric cars to smartphones — and as ties between the two countries show signs of improvement. Direct passenger flights resumed in October, easing travel curbs imposed after the 2020 border clash.

“In the past, the perception of China was one of our biggest iffy points,” Malhotra said. But Anta’s rising global profile and “Indians’ thoughts toward China being more positive lately” have helped pave the way for its re-entry, she said.

Anta didn’t immediately respond to a request for comments.

India allowed fast fashion giant Shein to return in 2023 under a strict licensing deal with Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries Ltd., which required the retailer to source from local suppliers.

Unlike Shein’s case, Brandman will import Anta’s products made in China and sell them locally through both e-commerce platforms and its own brick-and-mortar stores, Malhotra said.

Brandman also plans to open four stores this year for Wilson, the tennis apparel brand owned by Anta Group, she added.

The Indian and Chinese partners are working closely for the first few Anta stores as they re-establish the brand across the country. As the company returns, “they want to show it in the best way possible,” she said.