Ecommerce & cleantech from Dubai, STEM education from Ireland & Chinese monitors while capturing esports in South East Asia

India as a market is every brand’s dream. Even a 2% capture of the market share is huge. Hence, we see an influx of investment from foreign shores.

Dubai Expanding in Indian Ecommerce

E-commerce is one of the fastest growing markets in India, continuously expanding its reach beyond the metro cities and into the tier 2 & 3 areas of the country. In 2024, it is estimated at USD 112.93 billion and is expected to reach USD 299.01 billion by 2029.

In May, Dubai based Pluugin E-commerce, having established a robust presence in global markets like Southeast Asia (SEA), SAARC and Middle East & North Africa (MENA), is expanding its operations to India. Pluugin is a borderless e-commerce enabler, facilitating brands in scaling up their businesses across international borders.

Headquartered in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), it has offices across SEA, SAARC countries, and MENA. Its wide array of services include end-to-end Logistics Support, Supply Chain & Warehouse Management, Cross-Border Payment Solutions, Marketplace & Platform Management, Risk Management & Regulations, and Data Insights & Market Analysis to offer key understanding of the market-brand fit.

With this expansion, Pluugin is looking to create over 2100 jobs in the local market over the next 3 years. Currently operational in 12 states, the company is looking at a 100% pan India coverage in the next 12 months. India will also cater as the backend office for its global operations in Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

Aparna Gupta, Founder & Managing Director, Pluugin E-commerce, said, “We truly believe that every brand has the potential to be borderless in today’s e-commerce landscape and we intend to help them leverage it, with a strong focus on MSMEs. With our strategic entry into the Indian market, we bring new potential growth opportunities within the e-commerce space, enabling a global presence for all ‘Make In India’ brands.”

Sustainable Aviation Fuel Projects in India from Dubai

In another Dubai investment, GPS Renewables, an Indian cleantech partnered with Dubai-based SAF One, a platform focused on the development of global sustainable aviation fuel solutions, for the construction and development of sustainable aviation fuel projects in India. 

As a part of this partnership, GPS’ project platform, ARYA, along with SAF One, will co-develop a 20 to 30 million litres per year Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) facility using lignocellulosic waste feedstock (residual dry plant matter).

Mainak Chakraborty, CEO and Co-Founder, GPS Renewables, said, “As India moves towards mandating 1-5% blended usage of SAF starting in 2027, we need more collaborative efforts to address the challenges associated with the production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel”.

STEM Education Coming from Ireland

In May, Lighthouse Learning (formerly known as EuroKids International), an Indian Early Childhood and K-12 Education Group, and University College Dublin (UCD) in Ireland, joined in a 5-year partnership in May. University College Dublin is recognised for its renowned expertise in advanced fields such as AI and cancer biology, among others.

Professor Jeremy Simpson, Dean of Science at University College Dublin, present at the signing in Mumbai, said, “By joining forces, we can leverage our collective expertise to create enriching opportunities for students and faculty alike, particularly focused in the STEM areas. Together, we are committed to nurturing a vibrant academic community, fostering innovation, and making a lasting impact on the educational landscape.”

Chinese Monitors in India

Currently, the monitor industry is experiencing notable growth in the Indian market, with the gaming monitor industry projected to increase to USD 7.5 billion by FY28. Many companies are poised to capitalize on this opportunity and aim to increase presence across all the key retail chains in India. 

In May, TPV Technology Limited, the China based LCD manufacturing giant, plans to expand its foothold in India to meet the growing demand for next-generation professional and gaming monitors. As part of its growth strategy, the company plans to extensively scale and capitalize on Rashi Peripherals Limited’s strong and established network spread across the key metros, TIER 1 and TIER 2 cities. Rashi Peripherals is the authorized distributor for AOC’s complete range of professional and gaming monitors in the Indian market.

Carol Anne Dias, Managing Director, TPV Technology – AOC & Philips Monitors said, “As a part of our expansion strategy we want to increase our penetration and presence across all retail chains in India. Rashi Peripherals Limited is our authorized distributor and is responsible for distributing our complete range of premium and futuristic gaming range of monitors. Rashi has a growing strong network across key cities, and we want to capitalize on this and expand our foothold in the Indian market. Our new distribution model changes will not minimize the role of our regional distributors. We will ensure that our channel ecosystem will grow together.”

Indian companies are also expanding their brands into other emerging markets.

A Plan to Add 1M Users from South East Asia Over Next 12 Months

Southeast Asia stands as the epicentre of business, experiencing rapid growth driven by several key factors. In particular, the gaming industry in Southeast Asia has seen remarkable growth, with projections indicating further expansion.

According to Statista Research, the gaming industry is anticipated to hit USD 13.12 million in 2024, with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 8.05% in the games segment. By 2028, the market volume is forecasted to soar to USD 17.88 million. Currently, user penetration stands at 40%, but it’s expected to skyrocket to 338.2 million people by 2028, marking a substantial 47% increase.

The Southeast Asia esports market is poised to showcase a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 8.20% from 2024 to 2032. This growth trajectory underscores the region’s status as a dynamic hub for esports and highlights the significant opportunities it offers for players, enthusiasts, and industry stakeholders alike.

After receiving a remarkable response from India and MENA region, Indian esports tournament platform Gamerji launched its operations in the South East Asia market starting with Indonesia and Philippines. The Ahmedabad headquartered esports company has gone live with 8 game titles including PUBG Mobile, Free Fire, MLBB, Valorant, Clash Royale, CS:GO, Rocket League & FIFA. New users get virtual currency and a free 3 day subscription on joining as a welcome offer. The company plans to add 1M use