Analysis · Professional & Local Services

Stelcore chairman shares cross-border expansion advice

By Startup Enthusiast · 1 August 2026

What they do

Stelcore Group provides trade infrastructure including customs, tax, warehousing and payment handling

Chairman Bharat Mandot gave an interview on challenges and strategies for Indian brands expanding abroad

He advises proving one market before opening the next and avoiding shortcuts in compliance

Stelcore Group chairman Bharat Mandot gave an interview on cross-border expansion challenges for Indian brands.
India's cross-border ecommerce market is projected to grow from $48 Mn in 2025 to nearly $208 Mn by 2034.
Stelcore Group has worked with thousands of businesses and completed 3,000+ brand engagements.
Cumulative ecommerce exports crossed $20 Bn in 2025, with an ambition to reach $80 Bn by 2030.
Mandot says brands that succeed internationally invest in local inventory, predictable delivery, customer support, returns management, and consistent availability.
He advises asking three questions before choosing a market: real demand for the category, profitable delivery, and efficient operation.
He recommends a hybrid strategy: use marketplaces to understand demand and build a direct-to-consumer (D2C) channel for long-term brand equity.
Mandot warns that shortcuts in compliance create risks like stuck shipments, suspended marketplace accounts, and blocked working capital.

The interview provides practical guidance for Indian brands looking to expand cross-border.
It highlights common mistakes such as launching everywhere at once and underestimating operational costs by 10-20%.
The advice comes as India's cross-border ecommerce market is expected to grow rapidly.

Stelcore Group provides trade infrastructure for cross-border commerce.
Its services include customs, tax, warehousing, and payment handling.
The group has worked with thousands of businesses and completed 3,000+ brand engagements.
Bharat Mandot began his career at PwC and spent over 14 years building trade infrastructure at Stelcore Group.