Walmart has sourced more than $40 billion worth of goods from India since the 1990s, says President and CEO John Furner, as the US retail giant continues to integrate Indian suppliers and MSMEs into global supply chains. 

At the Walmart Growth Summit 2026 held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, the company brought together export-ready businesses, MSMEs, digital-first brands, and supply-chain partners, as it attempts to position India as a key global manufacturing hub. 

Furner is on his first visit to India after assuming office in February this year. He reportedly hosted separate townhalls at both Flipkart and PhonePe earlier this week, both of which are preparing to go public. Walmart acquired a controlling stake in Flipkart in 2018 for $16 billion, then increased its stake through additional investments including $3.5 billion in 2023. Walmart currently holds over 80% of the Indian e-commerce giant. 

During Walmart’s Q3 earnings call in November, the management noted that its international business reported over 11% sales growth in constant currency, led by strength in Flipkart, China, and Walmex. Flipkart’s Big Billion Days sales event last year saw strong customer engagement led by mobile devices, electronics, and fashion. 

“India represents one of the most dynamic opportunities in global commerce today,” Furner said. “We’ve already sourced more than $40 billion in goods from India and are focused on strengthening entrepreneur and supplier capabilities, raising compliance and quality standards, and helping scale manufacturing so more Indian businesses are ready to export.”

At the summit, the management highlighted plans to strengthen export capabilities among Indian businesses and expand cross-border trade opportunities. The Summit follows regional Growth Summit events in Jaipur and Coimbatore, held in partnership with government and industry bodies. 

Walmart also said its supplier development programme, Walmart Vriddhi, has trained more than 115,000 MSMEs in India since its launch in 2019. The initiative focuses on equipping small businesses with digital tools, business skills, and market access support. The company now plans to support nearly 170,000 MSMEs by 2028. 

“Through initiatives like Flipkart Samarth and Walmart Vriddhi, we are helping build capabilities, improve market access, and create pathways for businesses to grow both domestically and globally,” said Kalyan Krishnamurthy, group CEO of Flipkart Group.

While PhonePe has paused its IPO process citing tensions around the West Asia conflict, Flipkart has completed its reverse flip from Singapore to India, clearing a critical regulatory hurdle for the IPO. In December, the company got approval for a two-step restructuring that allowed Flipkart’s Singapore-based holding entities to merge into its Indian arm, Flipkart Internet.