Piyush Goyal meets L'Oréal Groupe to boost India's beauty sector
Synopsis
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal's meeting with L'Oréal Groupe isn't just a diplomatic courtesy call — it's a signal that India is actively courting the global beauty industry. With L'Oréal's $383.4 million Hyderabad hub already underway and India's exports hitting a record $863.11 billion, the beauty and personal care sector could be the next big pillar of the country's manufacturing export story.
Key Takeaways
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal met L'Oréal Groupe officials on 9 May 2025 to discuss sourcing, manufacturing, and exports from India.
The delegation was led by Vismay Sharma , President of L'Oréal's South Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa Zone .
L'Oréal announced a $383.4 million Beauty Tech Global Capacity Centre in Hyderabad in January 2025 , targeting 2,000 tech jobs by 2030 .
India-France bilateral trade reached 12.67 billion euros in FY 2024-25 , with Indian exports at nearly 6.67 billion euros .
India's total merchandise and services exports hit a record $863.11 billion in FY 2025-26 , up 4.6 per cent year-on-year.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday, 9 May 2025, met senior officials from French beauty and personal care major L'Oréal Groupe to discuss strengthening sourcing, manufacturing, and exports from India. The meeting signals a broader push to position India as a global hub for the fast-growing beauty and personal care industry.
What Was Discussed
The delegation at the meeting was led by Vismay Sharma, President of L'Oréal's South Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa Zone. According to Goyal, talks centred on deepening the company's manufacturing footprint in India and expanding exports of beauty and personal care products to global markets.
Goyal posted on X: "Discussions focused on strengthening sourcing, manufacturing, and exports from India." He further noted that the meeting explored avenues to unlock greater opportunities for India's beauty and personal care sector, given L'Oréal's recent landmark investment in the country.
L'Oréal's Hyderabad Beauty Tech Hub
The backdrop to Friday's meeting is L'Oréal's ambitious bet on India. In January 2025, the French cosmetics giant announced plans to set up a beauty tech and innovation hub in Hyderabad with an initial investment of approximately $383.4 million. The facility — described as the world's largest Beauty Tech Global Capacity Centre — is designed to serve as a global base for AI-driven beauty innovation and is expected to create 2,000 tech jobs through 2030.
The new centre will support L'Oréal's technology, data, digital, and supply chain functions worldwide, and is expected to play a key role in accelerating the company's AI, analytics, and digital transformation initiatives across markets.
India-France Trade Context
Bilateral trade between India and France has remained steady, ranging between 9.17 billion euros and 12.50 billion euros over the past five years. For FY 2024-25, total trade reached 12.67 billion euros, with Indian exports accounting for nearly 6.67 billion euros of that figure — underscoring the growing economic ties between the two countries.
Broader Export Push
The L'Oréal meeting is part of a wider effort by the Commerce Ministry to expand India's global trade footprint. On Thursday, Goyal chaired a brainstorming session with officials from the Department of Commerce (DoC) and the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) to explore measures that would enhance global exposure for Indian businesses. Discussions reportedly focused on boosting exports and investments, unlocking opportunities for aspiring exporters, and tapping new global markets.
India's total exports of merchandise and services rose 4.6 per cent to a record $863.11 billion in FY 2025-26, up from $825.26 billion in the previous fiscal year — a milestone achieved despite US tariff disruptions and broader geopolitical uncertainties, according to the latest Commerce Ministry data. With L'Oréal's Hyderabad hub set to scale through the decade, the beauty and personal care sector could emerge as a meaningful contributor to India's export story.
Point of View
But the real test is whether India can convert that anchor investment into a broader supplier ecosystem. The beauty and personal care sector remains underdeveloped as an export category relative to India's manufacturing potential. If the Commerce Ministry can align DPIIT incentives, skilling pipelines, and export facilitation around this sector, it could replicate the IT services playbook in a consumer-goods domain — but that requires more than bilateral meetings; it requires a sector-specific export strategy with measurable targets.
NationPress
10 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Piyush Goyal meet L'Oréal Groupe officials?
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal met L'Oréal Groupe officials on 9 May 2025 to discuss strengthening sourcing, manufacturing, and exports from India in the beauty and personal care sector. The meeting also explored opportunities linked to L'Oréal's newly launched Beauty Tech Global Capacity Centre in Hyderabad.
What is L'Oréal's Beauty Tech Global Capacity Centre in Hyderabad?
It is the world's largest Beauty Tech Global Capacity Centre, announced by L'Oréal in January 2025 with an initial investment of approximately $383.4 million. The facility is designed to serve as a global hub for AI-driven beauty innovation and is expected to create 2,000 tech jobs by 2030.
What is the current state of India-France bilateral trade?
India-France bilateral trade reached 12.67 billion euros in FY 2024-25, with Indian exports accounting for nearly 6.67 billion euros. Trade between the two countries has ranged between 9.17 billion euros and 12.50 billion euros over the past five years.
How have India's overall exports performed recently?
India's total merchandise and services exports rose 4.6 per cent to a record $863.11 billion in FY 2025-26, up from $825.26 billion in the previous fiscal year, according to Commerce Ministry data. This was achieved despite US tariff disruptions and geopolitical uncertainties.
What other trade-related activities did Goyal undertake around this meeting?
On Thursday, Goyal chaired a brainstorming session with officials from the Department of Commerce and the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade to explore measures to enhance global exposure for Indian businesses, focusing on boosting exports, attracting investments, and tapping new global markets.
