Abu Dhabi-based Lulu Group International is exploring partnerships with Indian e-commerce firms to offer its hypermarket assortment online, with a rollout targeted for 1Q 2026, Economic Times reports, citing Chairman and Managing Director MA Yusuff Ali. The move would extend the retailer’s existing omni-channel model in the Gulf to India through third-party platforms rather than a proprietary marketplace.

What’s planned: Lulu is in discussions with leading online aggregators in India and expects to launch its hypermarket offerings through partner platforms. Lulu sells online through partnerships with Amazon and Talabat in the UAE, HungerStation in Saudi Arabia, and Snoonu in Qatar. The India rollout is expected to follow a similar partnership-led model.

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India is a major sourcing base for the Lulu Group — it imports about INR 110 bn worth of goods from India each year. The retail major will expand India’s share of its total imports to 35% within two years from 26-27% currently. The company sources food and non-food categories including fresh produce, spices, FMCG products, and textiles. Lulu runs malls and hypermarkets in 10 Indian cities, with additional projects planned across several locations.

The India expansion aligns with the firm’s supply chain diversification strategy amid geopolitical uncertainties triggered by US tariffs.

Investment backdrop: Lulu has announced an INR 100 bn investment plan that is progressing across multiple states in India in 2023, covering retail expansion, backend logistics, warehousing, and food processing.

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