How India Is Emerging as a Priority Market for Global Brands (And Why Compliance Will Define Winners)

Introduction

India is no longer an experiment for global brands; it’s a commitment.

However, in the next phase of growth, compliance mastery, not just marketing, will distinguish leaders from followers.

As a regulatory consulting partner to companies in the FMCG, pharmaceutical, medical devices, electronics, and cosmetics sectors. NKG Advisory Business & Consulting Services Pvt. Ltd. witnesses this shift in action every day.

Here’s what we’re seeing on the ground.

The Data Says It All

• India’s FMCG sector is projected to reach USD 220 billion by 2025, doubling in size from 2020.

• The beauty and personal care industry is expected to hit USD 30 billion by 2027, growing at around 10% CAGR.

• Over the past 12 months, India issued 187 Quality Control Orders (QCOs) covering 769 product categories.

• More than 1,500 food consignments were rejected by FSSAI at Indian ports over safety and quality concerns.

• The CPCB flagged over 100,000 PIBOs for non-compliance under India’s EPR regulations for FY2023–24.

Source References

1. TeamLease Services – India FMCG Market Growth (cited by Business Today)

2. Redseer & Peak XV – Indian Beauty & Personal Care Market

3. Press Information Bureau (Govt of India) – BIS QCOs Compulsory Certification

4. Livemint – FSSAI Import Rejections in Past

5. CPCB Notification (Plastic Waste EPR) – Non-Compliant PIBOs Facing

Imagine This

You’ve invested months in product localization. You’ve run the market surveys. You’re ready to launch in India.

But:

✅ Your labeling has a tiny claim misalignment with India’s Legal Metrology Rules.

✅ Your EPR registration isn’t reflected in CPCB’s latest list.

✅ Your packaging doesn’t carry a valid BIS mark.

✅ Your import partner missed a change in state-level licensing requirements.

Result:

• Containers are stuck at the port for 6–8 weeks.

• Potential brand reputation hit if flagged by CPCB.

• First-mover advantage lost to a local competitor who executed the regulatory strategy better.

Now imagine the opposite:

✅ Every product SKU is mapped to applicable Indian regulations.

✅ RA + Marketing + Packaging teams aligned.

✅ Proactive regulatory engagement to pre-empt risks.

✅ Real-time intelligence on evolving standards and notices.

Result:

• Faster time to market

• Lower operational risk

• Higher trust with regulators and distributors

• Brand credibility is elevated with compliance-conscious consumers

The Emerging Reality: Regulatory-Driven Competition

It used to be that cost, distribution, and marketing budgets determined success.

Today? Compliance readiness is an equally powerful lever.

In 2025 and beyond, Indian regulators are:

• Integrating sustainability with compliance (EPR, waste declarations)

• Digitizing verification systems (BIS portal integration, CPCB dashboards)

• Shifting to proactive enforcement (AI-driven alert systems at ports)

Compliance is no longer a back-office task. It’s a strategic capability.

The Regulatory Mindset Shift Global Brands Must Make

If you’re entering India, here’s what the most compliance-wise brands are doing differently:

• Treating Regulatory Affairs and Regulatory Compliance as market enablers, not cost centers

• Investing in early regulatory intelligence, well before product launch

• Building cross-functional alignment between RA, Legal, Marketing, Packaging, and Supply Chain

• Proactively engaging consulting partners like NKG to navigate evolving Indian nuances

• Understanding that Indian compliance is a journey, not a one-time project

Final Word

In India’s next growth phase, it will not be the fastest marketers or the lowest-cost players who win. It will be the brands that earn trust, with consumers and regulators alike through a commitment to quality, transparency, and compliance excellence.

At NKG Advisory, we help brands not just comply, but compete through smarter regulatory strategies.

If you’re building your India playbook, make compliance your strategic advantage. We can show you how.

~ A View from the Regulatory Frontline | NKG Advisory Business & Consulting Services Pvt. Ltd.