Bharti Walmart not to wait for all states to allow retail FDI

There  has been  very powerful lobbying by the multinational retail giants to open up the Indian retail market. More so, the governments of their home countries also seem to exert pressure directly and indirectly to allow foreign direct investment (FDI) in retail trade. Their object is that large international chains must control the food supply chain and the distribution of other items of daily utility in India, which is one of the world's largest markets accounting for over 1/6 of world's population.  Succumbing to such a pressure, and subjecting to organised and well-designed lobbying, the Indian government recently took the decision to allow 51 % FDI in multi-brand retail trade and 100% percent in single-brand retail trade. Therefore, no wonder that Bharti -Walmart will not wait till all states in India allow FDI in multi-brand retail to roll out its plans and may start opening its outlets from states like Maharashtra and Andra Pradesh. The US retail giant Wall-Mart has said that it wants to have a 51% controlling stake in a new front-end retail company for which wholesale partner Bharti Enterprises would be a "natural partner". Their ultimate goal is to conquer the entire retail trade in India. Therefore, economic colonialism is going to take root slowly. Therefore, the government should not stand on prestige and annul the decision to allow FDI in multi-brand retail trade. It is alleged that Havarti-Wall-Mart is illegally carrying out multi-brand retail trade despite being permitted only to carry out wholesale cash-and-carry or wholesale trade in the country. On the basis of the suit filed by environmental activist Vandana Shiva, the Delhi High Court sought replies of the Centre, Bharti-Wallmart and Bharti Retail on a plea for a probe against the firms for allegedly carrying out retail trading in the multi-brand sector in violation of India’s existing FDI policy. Thus, even before getting permission to operate, Wall-Mart has violated Indian rules and regulations and has unlawfully involved in multi-brand retail trading. Will Wall-Mart and other multinational retail giants respect Indian laws once permission is granted to operate multiband retail stores? 

Dr.C.Murukadas, Times of India, Sep 28, 2012