How do I get a real sense of how big my category actually is in India before I bet my capital on it?

Start with Redseer's and Statista's published India D2C market sizing - Redseer puts the overall Indian D2C market on track for roughly $30-35 billion GMV by 2027, with beauty/personal care, fashion, and grocery/gourmet as the largest consumer categories, though treat any specific number as directional since estimates vary by source and the market moves fast. Don't stop at the headline market-size number - dig into category-level growth rate and competitive density too, since a big category that's already crowded with 15 funded brands is a worse bet than a smaller category growing fast with only two or three real players. Cross-check published estimates against what you're actually seeing on Amazon/Flipkart search volume and Instagram ad density for your specific niche - national category numbers can hide a niche that's either far more saturated or far more open than the headline suggests.