India’s consumer ecosystem is undergoing a reset, driven by instant gratification and algorithmic execution, according to discussions at Inc42’s 7th D2C & Retail Summit 2026. Industry leaders highlighted how quick commerce, AI-driven operations, and agentic commerce are reshaping distribution strategies across sectors.
At the summit, Rukam Capital’s Archana Jahagirdar noted that quick commerce is expanding into new verticals and broader horizontal categories. Manu Chandra of Sauce.vc explained that this channel offers brands clearer inventory visibility and faster payments compared to traditional distribution. Veeba founder Viraj Bahl advised brands to reinvest earnings from quick commerce into scaling margin-rich general trade channels.
The summit also emphasized the shift towards hybrid distribution models that combine quick commerce speed, direct-to-consumer brand control, and offline retail availability. Nothing India president Akis Evangelidis stated that avoiding offline retail would result in opportunity costs for original equipment manufacturers. Lahori Zeera’s Nikhil Doda added that general trade remains driven by product movement and retailer earnings. Additionally, Manyavar CRO Vedant Modi revealed that AI helps allocate 75% of store inventory, while Piyush Shah of InMobi and Glance highlighted the rise of agentic AI replacing traditional commerce methods.
The insights shared at Inc42’s D2C & Retail Summit 2026 underscore the growing importance of integrating AI and quick commerce in India’s retail landscape, with multiple brands adopting these approaches to optimize inventory and distribution.