Decathlon To Invest €100M In India Expansion
French sports retailer Decathlon has announced a significant investment of €100 million (approximately ₹933 crore) in India over the next five years. The funding will support the company’s expansion of retail operations and manufacturing capabilities in one of its fastest-growing markets, as reported by PTI.
Decathlon India CEO Sankar Chatterjee expressed optimism about the company’s growth trajectory, predicting that the business could double in size within the next three to five years. The expansion plans include increasing the number of stores from 90 to 190 and enhancing digital channels to support an omnichannel retail approach.
A key part of the investment will focus on boosting Decathlon’s manufacturing operations in India and increasing local sourcing. Currently, 68% of Decathlon products sold in India are locally produced, with 8% of the company’s global product range sourced from the country. The company aims to elevate domestic manufacturing to 85% by 2026.
Decathlon also plans to open 10-15 new stores annually, accelerate online sales, and explore new sales channels, including B2B, to broaden its market impact. Steve Dykes, Decathlon’s Global Chief Retail and Countries Officer, highlighted the strategic importance of India, noting its potential for a greater role in Decathlon’s research and design processes. He also emphasized the company’s commitment to fostering local talent and engaging over 2 million users globally through the Decathlon app.
In March, Decathlon identified India as a “big priority” market, forecasting it to be among the company’s top five global markets within five years.
