Wal-mart to open up in India...

[Deja Q]

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=2680912

The deal marks Bharti Enterprises' first foray into the broader retail market and signals its desire to diversify. Bharti already is a popular brand in India, offering mobile phone services to more than 30 million users. It also has interests in agribusiness and insurance.

Mittal said his group hopes to learn from Wal-Mart how to operate in the retail market.

It would take several months before the first of the stores opens its doors.

"My own wish is August next year," Mittal said. Eventually there will be "several hundred stores across the country (that) will probably carry both brand names."

India's booming retail market, estimated at more than $200 billion, is currently dominated by more than 12 million mom-and-pop shops. Large air-conditioned stores remain a rarity. Sales through company-owned network stores currently total about $8 billion, or less than 5 percent of the market.


(emphasis added)

Moms and pops, kiss your butts goodbye.