Swedish furniture retailer IKEA, which recently opened its eighth store in India at DLF Avenue in Saket, South Delhi, plans to expand aggressively, targeting 30 stores by 2030, focusing on locations near metro stations and other public transport hubs, ‘where not everybody has to drive,’ Patrik Antoni, CEO India, told Hindustan Times Real Estate.
"We have opened eight stores since launching our first outlet in Hyderabad in 2018. We hope to have another 22 stores over the next four years," he said.
"We always try to be close to public transport. It is a sustainable way of bringing both customers and co-workers to our stores so that not everybody has to drive," Antoni said.
Delhi-NCR to remain one of IKEA's biggest focus markets
Delhi-NCR will remain one of IKEA's largest focus markets, with several more stores planned across the region. Bengaluru will be the second major hub for expansion, while Mumbai, Hyderabad and Chennai also remain priority markets. The retailer is also evaluating opportunities in cities such as Chandigarh, Jaipur, Lucknow and Faridabad.
"The key areas where we are looking at opening will be Delhi, which we see as one of our largest markets. We are considering Bengaluru as our second hub and will deepen our presence there. Mumbai, Hyderabad and Chennai are also focus markets, while we are already present in Pune," Antoni said.
Also Read: Delhi shoppers, IKEA's 30,000 sq ft Saket store opens on July 30; Gurugram and Noida next
{{/usCountry}}Also Read: Delhi shoppers, IKEA's 30,000 sq ft Saket store opens on July 30; Gurugram and Noida next
{{/usCountry}}As part of its long-term strategy, IKEA is also developing two Ingka Centres in Noida and Gurugram. The mixed-use developments will combine an IKEA store with a shopping centre, office spaces and hotels.
IKEA confirmed that its much-awaited Ingka Centres developments in Gurugram (2027) and Noida (2028) remain on schedule.
Multiple store formats
Going forward, IKEA will continue to adopt multiple store formats rather than relying solely on its traditional large-format 'Blue Box' stores.
"The way customers shop has changed with online retail, so we are adapting. The Saket store shows that we can deliver the IKEA experience in a compact format within a shopping mall," Antoni said.
While smaller city stores of around 25,000 sq ft will largely be located inside malls, larger-format stores are planned for Noida and Gurugram, offering extensive room settings, restaurants and the full IKEA experience. The retailer already operates a 70,000 sq ft city store in Mumbai's Worli and plans to open a 7,000 sq m standalone store in Bengaluru.
Public transport at the heart of expansion
A key pillar of IKEA's India strategy is locating stores near public transport and major transit hubs.
Antoni noted that the company's upcoming Ingka Centres in Noida and Gurugram are being planned with direct metro connectivity. The Noida project will be located at the interchange of the Delhi Metro and Noida Metro networks, with commuters passing through a shopping centre that will house around 200 retail stores, an IKEA outlet, offices, and a hotel.
"We have different formats in different locations. Smaller stores like Saket work well inside malls, where people come not only to shop but also to spend time and dine. Larger stores become destinations in themselves, but there is always a need to be close to public transport. Our mixed-use developments in Noida and Gurugram will have direct access to metro stations. Public transport is the sustainable future, not everybody has to drive their own car," he said.
The focus on transit-oriented locations extends to IKEA's existing network as well. "In Bengaluru, we have a direct connection to the metro station. In Hyderabad, we are close to the metro, while in Mumbai, we are close to the train station," Antoni added.
IKEA recently strengthened its presence in northern India by opening its second Delhi store at DLF Avenue, Saket, on July 30. Spanning about 30,000 sq ft, it is the company's fourth city-format store in India after Worli (Mumbai), Pune and West Delhi (Pacific Mall, Subhash Nagar). The expansion comes a year after IKEA launched e-commerce services in Delhi-NCR and opened its first physical customer touchpoint in the capital.
Globally, IKEA has been in business for more than 80 years and has sourced products from India for over five decades. Since entering the Indian market in 2018 with its first store in Hyderabad, the retailer has expanded to eight stores across Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune and Delhi.
Its network now includes large-format stores, city-format outlets, a Plan and Order Point in Bengaluru and distribution centres in Pune and Gurugram. Online sales account for around 30% of IKEA India's business.