Karishma Vaswani, Columnist

Prada Scandal Proves the Power of India’s Troll Army

The episode shows the growing clout of the world’s most populous nation.

July 23, 2025 at 7:00 PM UTC

Karishma Vaswani is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Asia politics with a special focus on China. Previously, she was the BBC's lead Asia presenter and worked for the BBC across Asia and South Asia for two decades.

Prada’s sandal scandal.
Photo illustration: 731; Pietro D'Aprano, Malcolm/iStock, Mrinal Pal, and Victor VIRGILE via Getty Images

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Retailing for as little as $10, India’s beloved Kolhapuri sandals are a staple in wardrobes across the sub-continent. So when luxury brand Prada SpA debuted a new type of footwear at Milan Fashion Week that bore a stark resemblance to them, it didn’t take long for the fury to build online.

The saga underscores how much power the South Asian giant’s digital tribe holds, where online outrage regularly influences public debate — especially when citizens perceive their heritage is under attack. International firms eyeing one of the world’s fastest-growing markets should weigh the risks of these cultural missteps.