‘India growth engine of the world; its consumer brands very inspiring’: Walmart President and CEO

The meeting also discussed the growing role of digital marketplaces in enabling Indian brands to reach mass consumers.

Written by: Tahir Qureshi Edited by: Tahir Qureshi

Updated: May 10, 2026, 6:43 PM IST

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https://www.india.com/business/india-growth-engine-of-the-world-its-consumer-brands-very-inspiring-walmart-chairman-and-ceo-john-furner-business-flipkart-kalyan-krishnamurthy-8410092/ Copy

Walmart sees India as global growth engine, engages with emerging consumer brand founders (Image: Walmart)

New Delhi: Walmart President and CEO John Furner on Sunday met a group of Indian business leaders who are building high-growth and digital-first consumer brands. This shows that India’s dominance in global consumer and digital commerce is steadily increasing. In this meeting, founders from sectors such as beauty and personal care, food and beverages, lifestyle and apparel, fragrance and pet care discussed with leaders from Walmart and Flipkart how to grow business through digital channels and expand into global markets.

Strengthening India’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

The meeting reflects Walmart’s focus on strengthening India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and supporting emerging brands working towards creating new brands for domestic and international consumers.

“Spending time with founders of consumer brands in India has been very inspiring. What stands out about them is their ambition to work for both India and the world, and focus on quality, innovation and customer experience,” Ferner said.

He added, “At Walmart, we are committed to supporting businesses in this journey by helping them grow and connecting them with customers in different markets.”

Founders Share Their Thoughts

The meeting also discussed the growing role of digital marketplaces in enabling Indian brands to reach mass consumers. The founders shared their thoughts on their business journey, operational challenges and the collaboration needed to accelerate future growth.

Kalyan Krishnamurthy, the CEO of Flipkart, said that today’s entrepreneurs are building brands with a deep understanding of consumers and long-term ambitions. Platforms like Flipkart are helping businesses to increase market access, build capacity and expand across India, he said.

“Today’s entrepreneurs are building brands with a better understanding of consumers, greater ambition and long-term thinking. Platforms like Flipkart play an important role in driving these businesses forward by enabling market access, building capacity and creating avenues for expansion across India,” he said.

(With IANS inputs)