Starbucks opened its first store in India in 2012 through its joint venture with Tata.
The partnership operates under the name Tata Starbucks and combines Starbucks’ coffeehouse brand with Tata’s local business knowledge and Indian supply-chain relationships. The first store opened in Mumbai, one of India’s largest commercial cities.
India was an important market because it has a long tea tradition, a growing urban middle class, and an expanding café culture. Tata Starbucks adapted its menu and store operations for local customers while retaining familiar Starbucks beverages and design elements.
The Indian entry is sometimes confused with Starbucks’ first stores in other Asian markets, such as Japan or mainland China. Those expansions happened earlier. India became part of Starbucks’ international network in 2012, with Tata as its local joint-venture partner.