26-05-2025
Multiple-language regions sustain retail ecosystem: Retailers Association of India
GUWAHATI
Business gets better in a region where people are used to communicating in more than one language, India's top retailers said.
Amid the Hindi-Kannada row, the Retailers Association of India (RAI) said speaking multiple languages plays a major role in sustaining the economy, driven by business houses and local entrepreneurs.
It said India's northeastern region, home to more than 250 ethnic and settler communities, is one such region.
'The northeast is a very interesting market for the retail industry. The customers in this part of the country are well aware of the global trends, are accustomed to multiple languages, and are willing to experiment with items when they get them,' Kumar Rajagopalan, the RAI's chief executive officer, said at the North East Retail Summit on Monday.
Most communities across the eight northeastern States can communicate in at least two languages — their mother tongue, Assamese, Bengali, English, Hindi or its pidgin version, such as Haflong Hindi in Assam's Dima Hasao district, and hybrid languages, including the Nagamese.
The RAI, however, pointed out that the region faced issues of the logistical and supply chain management due to geographical constraints, and political situations, as in Manipur.
'The northeast is also a great place to find exceptional people who can serve in the retail industry, and we believe employment, one of the key drivers for retail, can be fulfilled with [better] access to the northeastern part of the country,' Mr. Rajagopalan said.
According to Vikram Bothra, chairman of the RAI's northeast chapter, the region's true retail story is on the ground, driven by local entrepreneurs. 'We have seen incomes rising, and communities are more open to modern retail, but success here takes time. Patience and commitment are essential — brands must earn trust by adapting to local tastes and persisting through the slow build,' he said.
'Our experience shows that targeted strategies resonating with regional culture pay off. When companies are patient and collaborate with those on the ground, even logistical hurdles become surmountable,' he said.
The summit brought together retail professionals and thought leaders from Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram. The focus of the event was on building a cohesive ecosystem to address region-specific challenges, and tap into emerging opportunities.
