Here's how Indian products are appearing on Russia’s market shelves

On his recent trip to Moscow, chef & restaurateur Yajush Malik came across Indian basmati rice at a local supermarket. Keen to get a feel for the city’s real culinary rhythm—his walks to the neighbourhood market are a window into local tastes, habits, and flavours. “Russian cuisine has rice as a staple, and it was exciting to see fragrant Indian basmati being used to make Russian Plov (pulao with meat)”

Malik’s friend, Evginia Gorina a marketing consultant in Moscow, mentioned that she regularly purchases Indian products, such as lentils, peanut snacks, and turmeric, from local stores. She says these ingredients have become a staple in her kitchen, especially when experimenting with global flavours for herself and her family.

ТВОЙ ДОМ (pronounced Tvoy Dom), which means “Your Home” in English is a supermarket in Moscow that stocks Indian FMCG products.

Earlier this month, Mumbai hosted the first-ever India Roadshow by the ITE Group, connecting Indian SME exporters with Russian buyers across various sectors. By creating focused, deal-driven spaces, ITE is helping Indian companies position themselves as long-term partners in Russia’s evolving market. Organisations like FICCI, FIEO, Chemexcil, NDDB, PHDCCI, the Indian Dairy Association, ICIB, and representatives from the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, the Russia India Trade House (Balaji Group), Orient Electric Limited, and other relevant chambers participated. The focused evening featured curated dialogues, trade insights, and direct matchmaking with international market advisors.

Chef Yajush Malik at a local supermarket in Moscow 

Katerina Filunets, ITE’s Dubai-based GM, explains: “Russia’s retail ecosystem is evolving rapidly, with a strong focus on product diversity, competitive pricing, and reliable sourcing. Consumers are open to new brands, especially in food and FMCG, creating opportunities for agile Indian suppliers. Packaged snacks, spices, ready-to-cook meals, personal care, and household essentials are gaining traction, and are integrating into mainstream Russian retail channels.”

Dmitry Zavgorodniy, CEO of ITE Group, says, “India has become a trusted partner across the BRICS+ landscape. The growing demand in Russia and the CIS is creating new opportunities, and Indian SMEs are uniquely well-equipped to respond. What’s needed is clarity, access, and confidence. That’s what these roadshows deliver.”

Filunets tells us how they bring verified Russian buyers, distributors, and retailers directly to Indian exporters, ensuring every conversation has real commercial potential. “Exhibitors aren’t just showcasing products—they’re negotiating, securing orders, and building long-term partnerships. It works because it’s practical: Indian companies get clarity and access, while buyers get reliable, immediate solutions,” she adds.

According to Filunets, specific Indian categories are seeing powerful traction in Russia. “Spices and packaged goods continue to lead, thanks to consistent quality, shelf stability, and demand from both mainstream and ethnic retail. Indian snacks are also gaining popularity, especially with bold flavours and innovative packaging that appeal to younger consumers. Wellness products — Ayurvedic formulations, herbal teas, and natural cosmetics — are a rising opportunity. Russian buyers are increasingly interested in holistic, plant-based options, which gives India’s reputation a clear advantage for exporters. The categories showing the most potential are those combining authenticity with reliability,” she notes.

Katerina Filunets

Mumbai is central to the India–Russia trade corridor, serving not just as a logistics hub but as a concentrated ecosystem of exporters, manufacturers, and packaging specialists. “For Russian buyers, the city offers access to export-ready partners who understand compliance, can deliver at volume, and provide value-added services like private labelling, custom packaging, and long shelf-life solutions.”

Looking ahead, Filunets stresses that the India–Russia partnership is more than a temporary supply chain adjustment. “This is the early stage of a long-term realignment in global trade. Indian companies are building presence and brand equity in Russia, while Russian buyers diversify sourcing with reliable, scalable partners. The momentum on our show floors reflects a broader transformation, with India and Russia playing increasingly complementary roles in evolving trade corridors.”

On the other hand, Taranjit Singh, an online retailer who has lived in Saint Petersburg since 2012, says the Russian market holds promise but remains underdeveloped for Indian brands. “I was pleasantly surprised to spot Old Monk on a retail shelf recently, and it’s encouraging to see Bajaj, KTM, and now Royal Enfield on the roads. Yet most Indian goods remain niche — teas, spices, incense, and herbal products are usually limited to small shops or online.”

What India does enjoy, he adds, is goodwill. Soviet audiences grew up on Raj Kapoor classics, Seeta Aur Geeta, and Mithun Chakraborty’s Jimmy Jimmy” memories that lend Indian products a friendly edge. Many Russians believe Indian goods are superior in quality to Chinese ones, despite China’s dominance on store shelves.

But Singh cautions that success won’t come from simply exporting what sells at home. Too often, firms ‘dump’ existing products and wait for demand. Instead, he argues, businesses must adapt — researching buying habits, testing flavours and packaging with local focus groups, and aligning launches with seasonal peaks like New Year, Defender of the Fatherland Day (Feb 23), International Women’s Day, and the summer ‘dacha season,’ when demand surges for gardening tools, leisure products, toys, and snacks. Singh believes, with sharper localisation — say, cheese-flavoured peanuts for Russia’s beer culture — volumes could soar. “Russia is a market of opportunity,” Singh says. “But the winners will be those who adapt, not just arrive.”