As India’s digital economy continues to expand, the challenge of counterfeit products, unauthorised sellers and illicit trade across online channels is also looming large. The digital platforms that have accelerated commerce have also enabled counterfeiters to reach consumers at unprecedented scale.
Against this backdrop, Signa, an American AI-powered brand protection, investigations and enforcement platform, has announced its entry into India, marking its first expansion into the Asia-Pacific region.
According to the latest ASPA-CRISIL report, The state of counterfeiting in India in 2025, nearly 89 per cent of urban Indian consumers have purchased a counterfeit product at least once, while 74 per cent believe counterfeiting has increased over the last 12 months. The study also found that online platforms now account for more than half of counterfeit purchases, highlighting the growing challenges faced by businesses and consumers alike.
Now, according to estimates by FICCI-CASCADE, illicit trade across five key sectors in India is valued at nearly Rs8 lakh crore, underlining the scale of the challenge for businesses and policy-makers alike. Textiles and apparel accounted for more than half of the illicit trade at over Rs4 lakh crore, while packaged FMCG represented an illicit market exceeding Rs2.23 lakh crore. The challenge is no longer confined to luxury products and is increasingly becoming an issue of consumer safety, corporate responsibility and brand reputation.
Founded in 2023 by Daniel Estrada and Andrés Argoti, Signa is an AI-powered brand protection platform that helps businesses identify, investigate and act against counterfeit products, unauthorised sellers, illicit trade and online infringement. The company supports more than 32 brands across 12 countries and works with leading global brands across sectors, such as healthcare, FMCG, consumer goods and pharmaceuticals.
Since its inception, Signa has helped identify more than $150 million worth of counterfeit products and supported enforcement actions protecting products worth over $40 million globally. The company has achieved a takedown rate of over 90 per cent. In select engagements, the platform has reduced investigations from 30 days to five days, about 82 per cent faster than traditional industry approaches, delivered up to 102x return on investment and contributed to a 90 per cent reduction in consumer claims.
Suspicious listings
Unlike traditional solutions that primarily focus on removing suspicious listings online, Signa combines artificial intelligence, investigations and enforcement capabilities to help businesses move from detection to actionable evidence and real-world outcomes, including coordinating takedowns and enforcement actions across multiple jurisdictions.
Signa expects India to become one of its key growth markets in Asia over the long term
“India is one of the world’s most dynamic and high-potential markets for conversations around brand protection and investigations,” explains Daniel Estrada, founder & CEO, Signa. “As commerce becomes increasingly digital, so does counterfeiting. The biggest counterfeit marketplace today is no longer a physical bazaar; it is increasingly a screen. Businesses need more than monitoring; they need intelligence and actionable enforcement capabilities that can help protect consumers and preserve trust in digital commerce.”
As part of its India expansion, Signa has established its India presence in Mumbai, one of the country’s leading business and commercial hubs, and has already built a local team to support its long-term growth plans in the market. Signa expects India to become one of its key growth markets in Asia over the long term.
India represents Signa’s first market in the Asia-Pacific region and is expected to play an important role in the company’s long-term global expansion strategy. “Protecting consumers and preserving trust in digital commerce is becoming a strategic priority for businesses globally,” adds Estrada. “India represents one of the most exciting markets for these conversations and we look forward to engaging with brands and industry stakeholders as the ecosystem continues to evolve”. Through its entry into India, Signa aims to engage with businesses and industry stakeholders and support conversations around technology-led brand protection and investigations.