You hear and see a lot in the news about China’s exploding economy. Yet I’m continually fascinated reading about the similar changes in India, the world’s No. 2 most-populous nation.

Stories about Indian retailing constantly pop up when I Google-search for retail design news. This article talks about how Western-style shopping malls are popping up all over the country. Reebok just distributed a press release about opening its largest store anywhere–15,000 square feet of Reebok-only branded merchandise. Products are merchandised in categories such as Running, Walking, Aerobics, Tennis, Cricket and Lifestyle to help customers make better purchase decisions, the release says.

I like how the Indian press release writer prefaces a quote from Reebok’s managing director for India: He “expressed his delight at the opening” of the new store. In the U.S., quotes like that usually say something like, “We’re pleased to announce…” blah, blah, blah. Very delightful in their speech, the Indian people can be.

If you’ve seen any Bollywood movies, you know there’s a growing, affluent middle class that hungers for and has money to spend on American goods. Now that those middle-class people are getting malls and shops that cater to their tastes, it might be time to expand your merchandising possibilities.

The Times Online article calls India “consumerism’s final frontier.” You don’t have to be a Wal-Mart or a Pizza Hut to get in on the action. But if you’re a supplier to some of the big Western retailers getting into the Indian market, it would behoove you to find out if your product or service can piggyback with theirs.

I’ve worked with companies that have had great success partnering with firms that do business in Malaysia and Taiwan. The startup costs might look like a barrier. But do the numbers and you might find going global isn’t as difficult as you would expect. I will express delight in your success.