Indian Paint Wars: Ankur Bisen on CCI Probe & Dealer Dynamics
October 23, 2025
The Paint Wars: Ankur Bisen on a Market at an Inflection Point
India’s ₹70,000 crore paint market, long defined by stable leadership, is now in a state of open warfare.
A fresh Competition Commission of India (CCI) probe into alleged anti-competitive practices by market leaders has coincided with the aggressive, high-investment entry of conglomerates like Birla Opus and JSW.
In a new, insightful article, Ankur Bisen, Senior Partner at The Knowledge Company, provides expert analysis on this market in turmoil.
He argues that the battle is shifting away from the consumer’s mind and squarely into the dealer network.
A Market Shift: From ‘Brand Pull’ to ‘Brand Push’
For decades, the paint industry was a “brand pull” market. Success was built on decades of investment in consumer trust and emotional connection.
However, Ankur Bisen highlights that this dynamic is changing. The balance of power is shifting from the brand to the dealer.
“Dealers are the lifeblood of the paints business. What’s changed in the last few years is that the balance of power… is shifting… today, what matters more is availability, price, and dealer margins. The industry is moving from a ‘brand pull’ to a ‘brand push’ model.”
The New Competitors: Conglomerates vs. Specialists
This shift is being accelerated by the nature of the new competition. The challenge no longer comes from just other specialist paint brands.
As Ankur notes, “Earlier, competition came from specialist brands like Dulux or Shalimar Paints. Now, it’s conglomerates treating paints as a vertical- with the capital and patience to invest long-term. They can match or even exceed existing dealer incentives.”
This new capital influx means the battle for dealer loyalty, through better margins and incentives, is intensifying to unprecedented levels.
Distribution is Destiny: The Real Battleground
While new players can compete on price and incentives, Ankur identifies the ultimate hurdle: logistics and trust. Legacy players built their dominance on decades-long relationships and an iron-clad replenishment cycle.
“If a dealer orders Asian Paints, they get replenishment in two days. If a new player takes 10 days, that’s eight days of lost sales. That trust takes decades to build.”
This is where the war will be won or lost. As Ankur concludes, the key for all players is consistency.
“Distribution is destiny in this market. You can’t win just with ads or discounts. You win when every dealer believes you’ll deliver – every single time.”
Read the full analysis in the original article to understand the complete picture of this evolving industry battle: https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/the-paint-brand-wars-cci-probe-and-stiff-competition-push-industry-into-warfare-82683.htm
Supporting Strategic Retail Transformation
Ankur Bisen’s contribution to this discussion exemplifies TKC’s role as a trusted advisor to businesses navigating complex retail transitions.
Whether it’s category expansion, private label strategy, or Q-commerce profitability, our insights are built on decades of experience and real-world data.
We work closely with clients to evaluate emerging categories through a multi-lens approach –consumer behaviour, infrastructure, margin potential, and operational scalability.
As the retail ecosystem evolves rapidly, our role is to balance ambition with execution reality.
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