MAM
Technopak’s Singhal bullish on Indian retail market
NEW DELHI: The Indian retail sector in India, which is approximately $ 200 billion strong, is steadily growing despite some restrictive policies and ham-handed handling of the industry by policy-makers, according to KSA Technopak India chairman Arvind Singhal.
Commenting on the size of the Indian retail market, he says that there is no debate on the issue: “Whatever the consumer spending is in India is the size of the retail market as whatever we buy is through a retail channel. If we include services, then the size of the market is $ 200 billion.”
KSA Technopak is organising a three-day retail summit here, which kicked off in Delhi today with industry workshops that saw over 400 delegates from organisations spanning the entire gamut of India’s retail industry participating.
Dwelling on the booming retail industry, Singhal in an interview with Indiantelevision.com said that the per capita income is increasing and there is an overall increase in disposable income. In such a scenario, he pointed out that people have to find space to buy things.
To hammer in his point of options before the people, Singhal pointed out that in Delhi, for example, the local weekly markets (‘haats’) are “flourishing rather than vanishing.” He adds, “Simply because there is no modern space available and politicians don’t understand this fundamental fact (while opposing foreign direct investment in the retail sector).”
Making a strong case for foreign investment in the retail sector, Singhal was emphatic that such investments would not swamp indigenous companies.
“Take the textile industry, for example. There is no restriction on FDI as far as this sector is concerned. However, India picked up less than $0.5 billion of FDI in the last 12 years, whereas China picks up about $8 billion per year. This answers the question that no one is waiting here to come and kill Indian industry. FDI is to do with the perception about the attractiveness and stability of the country,” Singhal counter-punched the critics of throwing this sector for foreign investment.
Pointing out that the Indian consumer too has evolved in the last decade or so demanding good services that are “friendly and convenient”, Singhal said arrival of international franchisees like McDonald’s “has not managed to eat into the shares of Indian players like Haldiram’s.”
According to him, “There is absolutely no threat at all from international franchisees entering into India.”
While Singhal and his company were trying to champion the cause of the retail industry, earlier in the day today commerce minister Kamal Nath told an audience at an apex chambers of commerce that any policy decision relating to FDI would be taken keeping in mind that Indian retailers don’t get “displaced.”
“The nature of the retail sector in India is too complex for a hasty decision and the fixation of permitting or not permitting FDI is misplaced,” Nath said at a seminar on ‘Retailing in India: FDI and Policy Options for Growth,’ organised by the Federation of India Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
Nath cautioned that the thrust to the retail sector by the government would have to be seen in the overall context of the sector specific policies. This goes with the overall national objective of rejuvenating specific targeted sector, including the rural sector.
Asked what sort of investment is being made in developing shopping malls and retailing that’s enhancing the `total’ shopping and entertainment experience for Indians, Singhal said the company estimates it would be approximately Rs 150 billion.
Meanwhile, Singhal stressed that the retail summit has seen a level of maturity in the last few years with participation from many serious companies in the market.
“Consumer products companies have started to realise that they need to understand the retail industry much better than they have done so far. People expect a lot more consistency in the format of our summit. Our workshops have also now reached some kind of a steady state,” Singhal says.
He stressed that it is not their core agenda to maximise revenue from the event, but create awareness about the industry and provide a platform.
“Our objective is not about increasing the number of people attending our summit, instead it is to bring those people on board whom we would like to consult with and who are significant in this sector for consumer goods,” Singhal said.
KSA Technopak is the Indian subsidiary of Kurt Salmon Associates. Technopak was started in 1992 as a management-consulting firm focused on the consumer product niche. In late 1992, it commenced a working relationship with Kurt Salmon Associates, which developed into a joint venture in 1996, when KSA took an equity position in the Indian practice.
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33 per cent of women believe the salary scale is rigged: Naukri report
Voices @ Work study finds rising calls for equal pay audits and lingering bias
MUMBAI: Progress may be visible in India’s workplaces, but many women still feel the need to tread carefully. A new report by Naukri reveals that one in two women hesitate to disclose marriage or maternity plans during job interviews, worried that such information could influence hiring decisions.
The findings come from the second edition of Naukri’s annual Voices @ Work International Women’s Day report, titled “What Women Professionals Want.” Drawing insights from more than 50,000 women across over 50 industries, the survey sheds light on evolving workplace aspirations alongside the biases that continue to hold women back.
One of the report’s most striking insights is the growing demand for equal pay audits. The share of women calling for regular pay parity checks has climbed to 27 per cent this year, up from 19 per cent a year ago. The demand now stands alongside menstrual leave as the most sought after workplace policy.
Interestingly, the call for pay transparency grows louder higher up the income ladder. Nearly half of women earning between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore annually say equal pay audits are a priority, suggesting that pay gaps become more visible as women move up the career ladder.
At the same time, confidence and ambition appear to be rising. About 83 per cent of women say they feel encouraged to pursue leadership roles, a significant jump from 66 per cent last year. Cities in southern India appear particularly supportive, with Hyderabad leading the way as 86 per cent of respondents there reported encouragement to step into leadership positions. The education sector recorded the highest sense of encouragement at 87 per cent.
Yet the report also highlights a growing trust deficit around pay equity. Nearly one in three women, or 33 per cent, say they do not believe men and women are paid equally at their workplace. That figure has risen from 25 per cent last year, pointing to widening perceptions of disparity as careers progress.
Bias in hiring and promotions continues to be the biggest hurdle. About 42 per cent of respondents say workplace bias is the main challenge for women from diverse backgrounds. The concern is consistent across major metros, with Chennai and Delhi NCR reporting similar levels.
Reluctance to discuss personal milestones during hiring processes is also widespread. While 34 per cent overall said they hesitate to share marriage or maternity plans in interviews, the anxiety increases with experience. Among professionals with 10 to 15 years of work experience, the figure rises to 40 per cent.
Info Edge group CMO Sumeet Singh, said the data reflects both progress and unfinished work. “Behind every data point in this report is a woman who is ambitious. The fact that 83 per cent feel encouraged to lead is something to celebrate. However, the fact that one in two still hide their marriage or maternity plans in interviews tells us the work is far from done. As India’s leading career platform, it felt not just important but necessary for us to shine a light on these gaps through the second edition of our report,” he said.
The report suggests that while ambition among women professionals is growing, structural changes around pay transparency, fair hiring and supportive policies will be key if workplaces hope to keep pace.
