Walmart has announced a sweeping expansion of its artificial intelligence capabilities through a suite of AI-powered “super agents” aimed at boosting both customer experience and operational efficiency. Revealed at an event in New York, the initiative marks a strategic shift in how the world’s largest retailer plans to drive future growth in its e-commerce and enterprise services. The new agents—tailored for shoppers, store associates, suppliers,...

India’s expanding e-commerce market has attracted some of the world’s biggest digital retailers, but that growth has come with increasing legal and regulatory challenges. Global companies including Amazon and Walmart’s Myntra, along with smartphone brands such as Samsung and Xiaomi, are facing investigations for alleged violations of competition law, investment norms, and consumer protection rules. Most recently, on July 23, India’s federal crime agency confirmed...

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued a strong warning to ecommerce platforms, urging full compliance with food safety and hygiene regulations or risk severe action. At a meeting chaired by FSSAI CEO G. Kamala Vardhana Rao, over 70 representatives from leading ecommerce platforms were directed to immediately address protocol gaps across the digital food supply chain. Ecommerce firms were told...

A new study commissioned by Meta and conducted by Global Wellness Institute (GWI) reveals that nearly 80% of Indian shoppers discover new products through social media platforms, with 98% of those discoveries taking place on Meta-owned apps like Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp. Based on a survey of 2,548 internet users in India aged 16 to 64, the findings highlight the shift from traditional product...

Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Shri Pralhad Joshi, has issued a strong call to e-commerce platforms to eliminate dark patterns from their digital interfaces. Speaking at a high-level stakeholder meeting convened by the Department of Consumer Affairs, the Minister emphasized that modern consumers are vigilant and intolerant of online deception. The meeting brought together representatives from top e-commerce firms, industry associations, legal institutions, and consumer...

A growing number of Indian consumers are turning to private label products, signalling a marked shift in purchasing behaviour as value, price, and pack size increasingly influence shopping decisions. According to the India edition of the EY Future Consumer Index, 52% of consumers are now choosing private labels over traditional branded products. This transition is being driven by the belief that private labels deliver comparable...

E-commerce enablement platform Shiprocket has unveiled India’s first AI-integrated Model Context Protocol (MCP) server, a major milestone in the country’s transition toward autonomous digital commerce. The launch comes as Shiprocket prepares for its upcoming IPO and deepens its focus on enterprise tech innovation. The MCP server allows AI agents to execute core e-commerce functions—such as checking shipping rates, updating inventory, and tracking orders—using just a...

At a conclave held in New Delhi, a coalition of leading trader associations called for the immediate establishment of an independent regulatory authority to oversee the digital commerce ecosystem in India. The demand comes amid rising concerns over alleged anti-competitive practices, including deep discounting, predatory pricing, and non-compliance with foreign direct investment (FDI) norms by e-commerce and quick commerce platforms. The Confederation of All India...

Chinese fast fashion giant Shein is reportedly re-evaluating its global sourcing partnership with Reliance Retail in India, amid renewed geopolitical tensions between China and the United States. The partnership, which was announced in 2023, aimed to establish India as a key manufacturing base in Shein’s global supply chain. However, the collaboration is now under review, as Beijing urges Chinese firms to limit overseas manufacturing...

India’s exports of cut and polished diamonds have hit their lowest point in nearly two decades, reflecting the industry’s vulnerability to slowing demand in key markets like the United States and China. According to data released by the Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) on Monday, polished diamond exports fell by 16.8 per cent year-on-year to $13.3 billion in the 2024-25 fiscal year,...