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FMCG startup Peping raises ₹2.5-Cr to boost distribution and product innovation

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Chirag Maheshwari and Prateek Maheshwari, co-Founders, Peping

Indian FMCG startup Peping has secured ₹2.5 crore in a funding round led by IAN Angel Fund, the evergreen investment fund of Indian Angel Network, while several angel investors also participated in the round.

The company plans to utilize the newly raised capital to accelerate distribution growth, strengthen supply chain operations, increase brand-building initiatives, and introduce new beverage flavours to the market.

Entrepreneurs Chirag Maheshwari and Prateek Maheshwari founded Peping with the goal of creating functional beverages designed for modern Indian consumers. The startup develops low-calorie prebiotic fizzy drinks and probiotic digestive shots that consumers can incorporate into their daily routines.

Unlike niche kombucha brands, probiotic beverages designed primarily for children, or clinical probiotic capsules, Peping focuses on delivering beverages that combine taste, affordability, and shelf stability while aligning with Indian flavour preferences.

Moreover, the company offers a dual product format that includes functional sodas for regular consumption and digestive health shots for targeted gut support. Consequently, this approach allows the brand to cater to multiple consumption occasions while also addressing growing consumer awareness around gut health and functional nutrition.

Currently, Peping distributes its products through several quick-commerce and online grocery platforms, including Swiggy Instamart, Zepto, BigBasket, First Club, Namdhari’s, and Ratnadeep. In addition, the brand has expanded its retail presence to more than 200 outlets across Bengaluru.

Furthermore, the startup has also entered alternative distribution channels by partnering with gyms, cafés, and corporate offices through catering collaborations. These partnerships help the company reach health-conscious consumers in everyday lifestyle environments.

At the same time, Peping has invested in building its own production capabilities. The company developed its manufacturing facility using off-the-shelf components, and it has also brought soda canning operations in-house. As a result, this strategy improves profit margins while enabling better control over product quality and supply chain efficiency.

Chirag Maheshwari, Co-founder, Peping, said, “We are thrilled to welcome IAN Group on board alongside key co-investors Signal Ventures, Eleven Eleven, and other angels. Beyond sharing our excitement for Peping’s vision, they bring invaluable strategic expertise to accelerate our distribution expansion and strengthen brand presence.”

Peping’s latest funding round highlights growing investor interest in India’s functional beverage market, particularly as consumers increasingly prioritize gut health, low-calorie drinks, and convenient nutrition. By combining prebiotic sodas with probiotic digestive shots, the startup aims to create a scalable product category tailored to Indian tastes and lifestyles.

Bengaluru startup AquaAirX launches AVATAAR, India’s first air-and-underwater amphibious drone

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Bengaluru-based deep-tech startup AquaAirX has introduced what it describes as India’s first amphibious drone capable of functioning both in the air and underwater. This technological advancement could significantly transform maritime surveillance, defence missions, and offshore industrial inspections across the country.

Moreover, the platform represents an important milestone not only for the company but also for India’s broader ambition to develop indigenous advanced robotics and autonomous technologies.

At the center of AquaAirX’s innovation lies an amphibious drone platform that transitions smoothly between aerial flight and underwater operations. Unlike traditional drones that operate exclusively in the air or underwater robots that remain submerged, the system combines both capabilities within a single platform.

Consequently, the drone can take off like a conventional aerial vehicle, dive into water during a mission, execute underwater tasks, and then resurface to continue flying. The company’s flagship platform, AVATAAR, supports complex maritime missions that require intelligence and operational capability across both aerial and underwater environments.

Furthermore, this hybrid capability significantly improves operational efficiency in sectors where separate systems usually handle aerial monitoring and underwater exploration.

As a result, the technology offers potential applications across several critical sectors. These include maritime and coastal surveillance, defence and naval reconnaissance, offshore infrastructure inspections, environmental monitoring and ocean research, as well as disaster response and search-and-rescue operations.

By integrating aerial and underwater capabilities into a single autonomous vehicle, the platform reduces deployment costs while simplifying operational complexity. At the same time, it delivers real-time situational awareness in challenging and dynamic maritime environments.

The founders launched AquaAirX in 2024. Aeronautical engineers Gouthami T. S. and Jitendra Kumar Purnmal Saini established the startup after sharing a common interest in robotics, aerospace engineering, and autonomous technologies.

During their engineering journey, the founders began studying the limitations of existing maritime technologies. They discovered a significant operational gap because aerial drones could observe oceans from above, while underwater vehicles could explore beneath the surface, yet no single system could efficiently perform both functions.

Therefore, the founders decided to design prototypes that could transition smoothly between air and water environments. Over time, the concept evolved from a research idea into a full-scale deep-tech startup focused on developing AI-powered amphibious drones and underwater robotics systems.

Through this initiative, the company aims to help industries, governments, and research institutions explore and monitor ocean ecosystems using intelligent autonomous technologies.

Despite its recent launch, AquaAirX has already achieved notable technological progress. The company’s amphibious drone platform has reached Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6, which indicates that the system has successfully demonstrated its capabilities in relevant operational environments and is approaching real-world deployment.

Meanwhile, the startup has also attracted strong investor interest. Recently, AquaAirX secured ₹12.5 crore in seed funding with the round led by Rainmatter, the investment initiative backed by Zerodha.

Additionally, investors including Prime Venture Partners, Wyser, and India Accelerator also participated in the funding round.

The company will use the newly raised capital to enhance drone autonomy, strengthen underwater communication systems, and expand its engineering and research teams.

Beyond product development, AquaAirX has also gained exposure through international startup ecosystems and innovation programs. The startup has collaborated with accelerator platforms such as NSRCEL and has participated in global initiatives including Israel Aerospace Industries’ NeuSPHERE program, which supports deep-tech ventures through mentorship and industry partnerships.

As global interest in maritime security and ocean exploration continues to grow, technologies capable of delivering intelligence across both air and water domains are becoming increasingly valuable.

For India, which has a vast coastline and expanding blue economy ambitions, such innovations could strengthen coastal defence, enhance port monitoring, and improve management of offshore energy infrastructure.

Looking ahead, AquaAirX plans to advance its amphibious drone platform through large-scale field trials and eventual commercial deployment.

The company also intends to collaborate with defence agencies, maritime authorities, and industrial partners in order to integrate its technology into real-world operational missions.

With continued research, strategic partnerships, and sustained funding, AquaAirX aims to position itself as a global leader in the emerging field of amphibious robotics and ocean intelligence systems.

For a startup founded recently, the launch of India’s first amphibious drone highlights both strong technological ambition and the rapid evolution of India’s deep-tech innovation ecosystem.

If AquaAirX successfully scales its technology platform, Indian-built autonomous systems could soon operate seamlessly across both skies and oceans, thereby opening new frontiers in maritime intelligence and robotics.

Jaipur-based Fine Acers Group plans expansion strategy in India’s luxury hospitality sector

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Dinesh Yadav, Founder and Managing Director, Fine Acers

Jaipur-based Fine Acers Group is accelerating its expansion strategy in India’s luxury hospitality sector as it plans to launch five new properties across major tourist destinations over the next three years. The hospitality developer currently operates resorts in Jaipur, Pushkar, and Goa, and it is now strengthening collaborations with international hotel brands to capture rising demand for premium leisure stays and destination weddings.

The company is also expanding its strategic partnership with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts as it aims to capitalize on the rapid growth of India’s upscale hospitality market. This collaboration aligns with the increasing demand for luxury resort experiences and high-end wedding destinations across the country.

Dinesh Yadav, founder and managing director of Fine Acers, said, “Currently, we have an operational inventory of 200 rooms spread across three properties. In the next three years, we will be adding 700 keys spanning across five properties located in tourist destinations like Jaipur, Jawai, Udaipur, Pushkar, and Coorg.”

At the same time, the company is also developing seven additional hospitality projects with a total capacity of 1,500 rooms. For these developments, the group has signed franchise agreements with several global hotel brands to strengthen its international hospitality portfolio.

As part of its expansion strategy, Fine Acers recently announced the signing of two Dolce by Wyndham resorts in Goa and Udaipur. This move marks the debut of the Dolce by Wyndham brand in India. The resorts are scheduled to open by 2030, and they highlight Wyndham’s strategy to expand its upscale hospitality presence in the country while supporting Fine Acers’ vision of building landmark properties in high-demand destinations.

Meanwhile, beyond its growing development pipeline, Fine Acers has also built a distinctive investment model within the hospitality sector. The company uses a sale-and-leaseback structure that allows investors to participate directly in hotel ownership while the company continues to operate the properties.

Under this model, Fine Acers sells nearly 70 percent of a property’s inventory to investors and then leases the units back for hotel operations. As a result, investors receive annual returns of around seven percent while the company manages the property professionally.

“Investors also enjoy lifestyle privileges such as 25 complimentary nights a year and one wedding event,” said Yadav.

Additionally, the investment model is gaining strong traction among high-net-worth individuals and non-resident Indians who want exposure to India’s fast-growing hospitality market without handling the complexities of hotel operations.

Yadav further highlighted the sector’s strong growth outlook. “With India’s tourism and hospitality sector projected to reach $60 billion by 2028, the combination of steady returns and lifestyle benefits is proving attractive to investors seeking both financial and experiential value,” added Yadav.

He said, “Our collaboration with Wyndham reflects premium leisure and wedding markets and reinforces our commitment to developing iconic assets.”

Fine Acers Group is positioning itself as a fast-growing player in India’s luxury hospitality landscape. By expanding its resort portfolio, strengthening partnerships with global hotel brands, and introducing innovative investment models, the company is aligning its strategy with the country’s booming tourism industry. As demand for luxury travel and destination weddings continues to grow, Fine Acers aims to develop landmark hospitality assets across India’s most sought-after destinations.

EkoStay scales operations in India’s leisure segment with curated premium stays

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Varun Arora, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, EkoStay

EkoStay has achieved a major expansion milestone by onboarding and launching multiple premium villas across India’s leading leisure destinations, thereby strengthening its presence in high-demand holiday markets nationwide.

Over the last two months, the company has added eight new villas to its expanding portfolio, including three in Panchgani, one in Igatpuri, one in Dahanu, and three in Alibaug, and thus it has reinforced its footprint across Maharashtra’s most sought-after getaway corridors.

Building on this momentum, EkoStay will launch five additional villas this month, including one in Palghar, two in Kodaikanal, and two in Goa, and consequently, it will expand into both emerging coastal markets and established luxury leisure hubs.

Furthermore, the brand has accelerated growth in its premium category by closing three Luxe category villas in Ooty, featuring expansive 4, 5, and 6 BHK configurations. These properties are currently undergoing final readiness procedures, and the company expects to make them live next month.

Speaking about the expansion, Varun Arora, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, EkoStay, said, “India’s travel behaviour has fundamentally shifted towards private, experience-led stays where travellers seek space, flexibility, and curated hospitality. Our recent expansion reflects both growing consumer demand and strong homeowner confidence in professionally managed vacation rentals. We are focused on building depth within high-performing micro-markets while simultaneously unlocking new leisure destinations that show strong long-term potential.”

Additionally, Husain Khatumdi, Managing Director and Co-Founder, EkoStay, highlighted the brand’s partnership-driven model. “Our vision has always been to simplify hosting for homeowners while delivering consistent guest experiences. Every new property onboarding represents a partnership built on trust. As more second home owners look at structured asset monetisation, professionally managed homestays are becoming a strong alternate income stream, and we see tremendous opportunity ahead.”

Commenting on acquisition strategy and market trends, Zishan Khan, Chief Acquisition Officer and Co-Founder, EkoStay, said, “We are seeing accelerated interest from homeowners across destinations that were previously considered niche leisure markets. Our acquisition strategy is focused on quality inventory rather than scale alone. The Luxe villas in Ooty represent the next phase of curated expansion where design, location, and experiential value come together.”

Moreover, Sohail Mirchandani, Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder, EkoStay, emphasized operational consistency amid rapid growth. “As we expand, maintaining standardization alongside personalisation remains critical. Each property undergoes a structured operational and guest experience integration process before going live. Our goal is to ensure that regardless of destination, guests experience the same reliability and service quality that defines EkoStay.”

EkoStay’s latest expansion underscores the accelerating demand for professionally managed private villas across India’s top leisure destinations. By combining curated inventory, homeowner partnerships, and standardized operational processes, the company strengthens its competitive position in the premium vacation rental market. As experiential travel gains momentum, EkoStay’s focus on quality-led growth and emerging lifestyle destinations positions it for sustained long-term expansion.

Premium beauty brand RAS Luxury Skincare raises $7.5 Mn to strengthen luxury skincare presence across India

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Shubhika, Suramya and Sangeeta Jain, co-founders, RAS Luxury Skincare

RAS Luxury Skincare has secured USD 7.5 million in a Series B funding round led by Dabur Ventures, while Unilever Ventures also participated in the round, thereby reinforcing investor confidence in India’s premium skincare segment.

Previously, the Raipur-based brand raised more than USD 6.5 million, including a Series A round that Unilever Ventures led. Now, the company will deploy the fresh capital to accelerate its omnichannel expansion strategy across both digital and offline formats. Specifically, it will scale its direct-to-consumer (D2C) platform, strengthen its presence on e-commerce and quick commerce marketplaces, expand Exclusive Brand Outlets (EBOs), deepen HORECA partnerships, and enhance curated retail distribution, as the company stated in a press release.

Founded in 2021 by Shubhika, Suramya, and Sangeeta Jain, the brand operates a vertically integrated business model that spans botanical cultivation on family-owned farms, in-house research and development, and small-batch manufacturing. Consequently, the company maintains quality control across its supply chain while reinforcing its luxury positioning. Its product portfolio includes face elixirs, serums, and moisturizers formulated with essential oils and plant-based actives, thereby targeting consumers seeking premium, clean beauty solutions.

Moreover, the company plans to intensify brand-building and marketing initiatives to deepen engagement within the premium luxury skincare segment. Simultaneously, it intends to expand its internal teams across product development, marketing, and operations to support its next phase of growth.

RAS reports a three-year revenue CAGR of approximately 75 percent, and it currently records an annual recurring revenue (ARR) of around Rs 100 crore. Additionally, the company maintains strong gross margins while it serves a consumer base of more than 5 lakh unique customers. It supports this growth through a steadily expanding multi-channel presence across D2C, e-commerce, quick commerce, and premium offline retail formats.

Overall, the Series B funding positions RAS Luxury Skincare to consolidate its footprint in India’s fast-growing premium beauty market while it scales distribution, strengthens brand equity, and leverages its vertically integrated supply chain to drive sustained growth.

With USD 7.5 million in fresh capital, RAS Luxury Skincare accelerates its omnichannel expansion and sharpens its focus on the premium luxury segment. By combining vertical integration, strong revenue growth, and strategic investor backing, the brand strengthens its competitive position in India’s evolving beauty and personal care industry. As demand for clean, plant-based, and luxury skincare products rises, RAS appears well-positioned to capture a larger share of the premium market.

Zostel launches in Varanasi to tap Gen Z demand for spiritual travel

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Zostel has launched Zostel Varanasi, thereby marking its strategic entry into Varanasi, one of India’s most significant spiritual destinations, as demand for culturally immersive and youth-driven travel continues to rise.

The launch directly aligns with the brand’s focused expansion across India’s spiritual and heritage circuits. According to internal 2025 booking data, Gen Z and millennial travellers account for more than 95 percent of bookings across Zostel’s spiritual destinations, while international travellers contribute approximately 10 percent of total demand. Consequently, the company is strategically positioning itself to capture the growing appetite for experience-led travel among younger demographics.

Strategically located near Dashashwamedh Ghat and the old city area, the property offers a combination of dormitories and private rooms, and it also provides shared social spaces along with a rooftop area designed for community engagement. Moreover, the hostel integrates local design influences into its architecture and interiors, thereby reflecting the cultural identity of the city. In addition, the programming includes guided heritage walks, curated participation in the Ganga Aarti, and neighborhood-led cultural experiences that immerse travellers in the spiritual and historical fabric of Varanasi.

Aviral Gupta, Founder and CEO of Zostel and Zo World, emphasized the deeper intent behind the expansion. “India’s sacred cities are being rediscovered by its youth. Varanasi is not a place you visit for convenience; it is a city that reshapes perspective. Our launch here reflects a clear strategic direction: we are investing in destinations that offer depth, cultural intensity, and transformative experiences. The future of travel in India will belong to places that leave a lasting imprint,” he said.

Furthermore, the Varanasi launch follows the brand’s recent expansion into Kufri, and it forms a key part of the company’s 2026 strategy that prioritizes experience-led destinations over conventional tourism hubs. Through this approach, Zostel continues to strengthen its presence in culturally rich and spiritually significant locations that resonate strongly with India’s evolving travel preferences.

Amber – A Unit of Sayaji opens in Bhopal, expands its portfolio in Madhya Pradesh

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Amber – A Unit of Sayaji, the newest addition to the Sayaji portfolio, has officially opened in Bhopal. Strategically located in Chinar Fortune City near Vidya Nagar Phase 2, Bawadiya Kalan, the hotel introduces contemporary comfort and warm, intuitive hospitality to the capital of Madhya Pradesh, and it caters to business travellers, short leisure visitors, and guests planning intimate celebrations.

The hotel features 22 thoughtfully designed rooms that prioritize comfort and functionality for modern travellers. It offers 20 superior rooms, each spanning 280 sq. ft., along with two expansive family rooms measuring 552 sq. ft., and therefore it accommodates solo guests, couples, and families who seek additional space and convenience.

Moreover, the property enhances the guest experience through its in-house dining venue, Cafene, which serves a breakfast buffet as well as an à la carte menu. The restaurant accommodates 52 guests in total, including 34 indoor seats and 18 al fresco covers, and it provides an inviting setting for easy breakfasts, productive working lunches, and relaxed dinners. Additionally, the culinary offerings combine familiar favourites with flavour-forward regional inspirations, thereby delivering a balanced and satisfying dining experience.

Furthermore, the hotel strengthens its appeal by offering versatile event venues for weddings, social gatherings, and corporate meetings. Aurum, the hotel’s banquet hall, spans 2,736 sq. ft., and it accommodates up to 150 guests in theatre-style seating. The venue also supports multiple configurations, including classroom-style seating for up to 60 guests and cluster seating for up to 80 guests, which enables hosts to customize events according to their requirements.

In addition, Vatika Lawn extends across 24,850 sq ft, and it accommodates up to 1,000 guests for large-scale celebrations. The lawn also supports mid-sized event formats, including cluster seating arrangements for up to 500 guests, and thus it provides flexibility for grand weddings and expansive social events.

Speaking about the launch, Manoj Kumar Golani, co-owner of Amber – A Unit by Sayaji and Chief Operating Officer at Satyam Builders & Developers, shared his perspective on the new opening. “We’re excited to open Amber – A unit of Sayaji—in Bhopal and welcome guests to a hotel that’s intimate in size but big on detail. From the comfort of our rooms to the ease of hosting at Aurum and Vatika, we’ve built this space for people who want a stay that feels effortless—and genuinely warm,” he expressed.

Echoing this sentiment, Rajendra Joshi, Associate General Manager at Sayaji Hotels, highlighted the brand’s emotional connection with the region. “Madhya Pradesh is home for the Sayaji brand, so every opening here feels personal. With Amber—A unit of Sayaji—we’re bringing our signature hospitality to a contemporary address in the city—crafted for stays, dining, and celebrations and delivered with the kind of warmth that comes naturally in our home state,” he said.

With the opening of Amber – A Unit of Sayaji in Bhopal, the Sayaji brand deepens its footprint in Madhya Pradesh and enhances the city’s hospitality offerings. The hotel combines modern accommodations, versatile event infrastructure, and signature regional warmth, and therefore, it positions itself as a preferred destination for business stays, leisure visits, weddings, and corporate gatherings in the state capital.

Quick home services startup Pronto raises $25 Mn in funding to scale instant household help across India

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Anjali Sardana, Founder & CEO, Pronto

Quick home services startup Pronto has raised $25 million in a Series B funding round led by Epiq Capital, as investor interest accelerates in instant household services platforms competing to scale rapidly across Indian metros. Existing investors Glade Brook Capital, General Catalyst, and Bain Capital Ventures also participated in the round, which values the company at $100 million post-money, founder Anjali Sardana confirmed.

Earlier, reports indicated that the company was in advanced discussions to raise $25 million at a $100 million valuation, and the latest development formalizes that growth plan.

Notably, the funding arrives amid an aggressive expansion race in India’s quick home services market, where startups are building dense hyperlocal networks of trained domestic professionals who can reach households within minutes. Founded in 2025, Pronto connects urban households with background-verified professionals for services such as cleaning, laundry, utensil washing, and basic meal preparation. Within just seven months, the company expanded from operating in one city to 10 cities, while it scaled from five micromarkets to more than 150 micromarkets.

Meanwhile, daily bookings surged dramatically from around 1,000 to 18,000, and demand continues to grow at over 20 percent week-on-week. In February alone, 4,500 active professionals completed at least one booking during the month, while 2,500–3,000 professionals worked on any given day.

Despite this rapid scale-up, Sardana emphasized disciplined capital deployment. “We’ve only burned $8 million in the first kind of year of the company. That being said, we’re doubling down on growth, and that will require capital, especially around scaling supply,” she said.

Furthermore, Sardana acknowledged that the company faces significant supply constraints. “We’re deeply supply constrained,” she said, explaining that professionals currently complete an average of seven bookings per day. “We’re growing demand at 20 percent week on week. But there’s only so much juice you can squeeze from increasing utilization. The rest has to come from scaling supply.”

At the current burn rate, the fresh capital provides substantial operational visibility. Sardana stated that the new funding gives the company “well over two years of runway.”

Unlike quick commerce companies that invest heavily in physical dark stores, Pronto operates on a predominantly variable-cost structure. Consequently, the company will allocate most of the new capital toward top-of-funnel supply acquisition, particularly referral incentives. Sardana explained that referrals now serve as the company’s largest channel for onboarding professionals, supported by strong net promoter scores among workers, whom the company refers to as “Pros.”

“If demand is growing 20 percent week-on-week, supply also needs to grow 20 percent week-on-week. Vendors and field recruiters are relatively static. Referrals are the one channel that compounds,” she said.

Currently, the company maintains a customer acquisition cost of approximately Rs 400, although Sardana declined to share overall marketing expenditure figures.

At the micromarket level, typically covering a 1.5–2 kilometre radius, Pronto has already built clusters delivering more than 500 bookings per day. In Gurugram, utilization crossed 60 percent in January, and older micromarkets have already surpassed break-even levels, according to Sardana.

“Utilization is the name of the game,” she said, adding that quality and frequency, rather than aggressive discounting, will ultimately drive sustainable growth. “In a lot of ways, there are similar dynamics,” Sardana said. “But total aggregate burn should be lower because there’s less capex and more variable cost. The cost structure is more in our favour.”

As multiple well-funded competitors expand simultaneously, Sardana stressed that service quality will define long-term differentiation rather than capital alone.

“It’s 100 percent quality,” she said. “Here we have a person coming inside your home and performing a service. Quality matters a ton. Quality compounds over time. It’s not something you can flip on and off.”

Importantly, user behavior indicates strong retention dynamics. Sardana revealed that the company’s top 1 percent of customers use the platform more than 23 times per month, while the top 10 percent use it nine or more times monthly, demonstrating that usage frequency increases significantly once customers establish trust.

Although industry consolidation may occur over time, Sardana stated that it remains “very difficult to tell today” whether the market will eventually narrow to only a few dominant players.

For now, the company will focus on scaling supply, strengthening density within existing micromarkets, and expanding into additional cities over the next 12–18 months.

Overall, as investor appetite intensifies and competition escalates, startups and investors are rapidly transforming India’s traditionally informal domestic help ecosystem into a capital-backed, technology-driven marketplace that prioritizes frequency, trust, and operational efficiency inside urban homes.

 

India’s Lemon Tree Hotels plans overseas expansion as global travel rebounds

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Lemon Tree Hotels is gearing up to accelerate its overseas expansion over the next three to five years as more Indians choose international destinations for leisure travel, according to a senior company executive. As outbound tourism gathers pace, the company aims to align its global footprint with evolving travel patterns.

India is on track to become the world’s fourth-largest outbound tourism market by 2035, moving up from tenth place and ranking behind the United States, China, and Germany, according to reports. Against this backdrop, Lemon Tree Hotels sees a clear opportunity to follow Indian travellers into key international markets. “We would like to go where the Indian traveller is going,” said Neelendra Singh, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, in an interview, while pointing to destinations such as Thailand, Vietnam, and Singapore as natural extensions for the brand.

Currently, the midscale hospitality chain operates five hotels outside India, including two properties in Nepal and Bhutan and one in the UAE, out of a portfolio that exceeds 120 hotels globally. In comparison, other Indian hotel groups with luxury brands, such as Indian Hotels Company and EIH Limited, also maintain relatively limited international presences.

Despite its overseas ambitions, Lemon Tree Hotels continues to prioritise domestic growth and has a pipeline of more than 120 hotels, with India remaining its core market for the near term. The company owns and operates multiple brands, including Aurika, Red Fox, and Keys Select, and currently ranks as India’s third-largest homegrown hotel chain by number of rooms, behind Indian Hotels and ITC Hotels, which operates the Fortune and Welcomhotel brands. Singh reiterated that the company remains committed to its existing strategy and views international expansion as a medium-term objective.

Meanwhile, within India, Lemon Tree Hotels is exploring opportunities to integrate unbranded properties into its network through a predominantly franchise-led approach. This move targets India’s large independent hotel segment, nearly half of which remains unbranded, according to industry estimates. Additionally, in January, the company announced plans to transfer all hotel ownership to its subsidiary Fleur and transition into a fully asset-light model, a step that will result in two publicly listed entities within the next 12 to 15 months.

IHCL launches Gateway Dehradun, debuting Gateway Brand in Uttarakhand

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Indian Hotels Company Limited has announced the launch of Gateway Dehradun, thereby marking the Gateway brand’s entry into the capital city of Uttarakhand. With this opening, the company continues to expand its presence across key leisure and emerging business destinations in India.

Leah Tata, Vice President and Brand Leader, Gateway Hotels & Resorts, IHCL, said, “We are pleased to bring the Gateway brand to Uttarakhand with the opening of Gateway Dehradun. The city has long been a gateway to a range of leisure, adventure, and spiritual experiences, with proximity to Mussoorie, Rishikesh, and Haridwar. As it continues to grow into a leisure and business hub, this opening strengthens the brand’s footprint while reflecting the character of the destination.”

The 100-key hotel is located in the scenic Doon Valley and offers expansive views of the surrounding natural landscape. Moreover, the property features multiple dining options, including The Pavillion, an all-day restaurant serving Indian, Continental, and Asian cuisines, and Aanch, a North Indian speciality restaurant. In addition, the hotel provides a swimming pool, fitness center, spa, and wellness facilities, while also offering event infrastructure such as a spacious banquet hall for social and corporate gatherings.

Vineet Soni, General Manager, Gateway Dehradun, said, “Gateway Dehradun is designed as an inviting space for travellers exploring the region. We look forward to welcoming guests to the hotel.”

Located between the Shivalik foothills and the Himalayas, Dehradun serves as a key gateway to destinations such as Mussoorie and Rishikesh. Furthermore, visitors can explore popular local attractions, including Robber’s Cave, Mindrolling Monastery, and Sahastradhara, which collectively enhance the city’s appeal for leisure and spiritual tourism.

The opening of Gateway Dehradun underscores IHCL’s continued focus on strategic expansion in high-potential destinations.

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