How Indian Distributors Can Get Ahead in 2026: Strategy Lessons from ANZ, Adapted for India

By Anuj Singhal

As global distribution evolves rapidly in the cloud and AI era, Indian technology distributors are uniquely positioned to lead the next wave of growth if they adopt strategic practices now seen shaping markets abroad. A recent industry analysis highlighted that distributors must deliver scalable reach, reduced risk, and value-added services to remain the most cost-effective route-to-market for vendors and partners. Their ecosystems accelerate partner productivity and enable faster market expansion by combining technical enablement, financing, digital marketplaces, and orchestration.

India’s IT distribution landscape is already substantial and growing, with key players such as Redington, Supertron, Savex Technologies, RP Tech, and Iris Computers collectively serving tens of thousands of channel partners nationwide and helping propel the country’s burgeoning tech ecosystem. To navigate 2026 successfully, distributors in India must build “next-generation intermediary models” that reflect both deep local market understanding and the global shift toward platform-centric, services-oriented distribution.

First, expand beyond product delivery to strategic enablement. Traditional distribution must give way to value-added services from marketing support and training to lifecycle services and digital commerce enablement. As industry research abroad has shown, clear goal alignment, transparent communication, and jointly developed growth plans between distributors and their OEM partners help prevent margin erosion and strengthen long-term alliances.

Indian distributors are already moving in this direction. Redington, for example, has been gradually transforming from a hardware-centric player into a broader technology solutions provider, emphasizing cloud, software, and AI-driven innovations, while deepening partner engagement in tier-2 and tier-3 markets. Mainstreaming such a transition across the distribution community will help capture value beyond traditional hardware margins and align distributor success with the digital transformation priorities of enterprise customers.

Second, digital enablement and data-driven operations can be differentiators. Modern distribution strategy calls for robust digital platforms, real-time visibility into inventory and demand, and data-backed decision frameworks that improve operational efficiency and responsiveness. This trend is resonating globally and is highly relevant in India, where demand cycles are tightening and enterprise adoption of cloud and AI solutions continues to accelerate.

Third, deepen partner ecosystems with targeted vertical and regional plays. Redington ,RP Tech and Savex, with their extensive nationwide networks, are examples of distribution houses that can build specialized segment offerings—for instance, in enterprise networking, storage, and modern workspace solutions by working closely with local system integrators and MSPs. Surpertron and Iris Computers, often strong in niche verticals and regional geographies, can leverage their domain depth to co-create solutions that are tooled for specific customer segments, whether in healthcare, education, or manufacturing.

Finally, focus on execution and strategic discipline. Industry commentary highlights that distributors often stall not for lack of ideas but because strategy execution lags. Indian distributors that combine strategic clarity with operational excellence prioritizing execution on growth initiatives, partner enablement, and digital transformation—will be well placed to capture market share as others fall behind.

As distribution continues to shift from a transactional model to a strategic go-to-market engine for technology suppliers, Indian distributors that embrace this evolution blending scale, service, digital maturity, and partner-centricity will lead the channel in 2026 and beyond.