By any reckoning Hyderabad's fast-growing middle class is poorly served by its retail sector, still dominated by small "mom and pop" outlets. That is about to change as the international giants Wal-Mart, Woolworths and Carrefour team up with local partners to bring big-box shopping to Hyderabad.

Ending months of speculation, an Indian telecom major, the US$2.5 billion Bharti Group, has announced that it will foray into the retail business through a joint venture with the $300 billion global retail giant Wal-Mart.

It will roll out its first retail outlet in the next seven months, Sunil Mittal, chairman and managing director of Bharti Group, said the sidelines of the India Economic Summit in New Delhi. "It is a partnership of equals. Big investments are in the pipeline," said Mittal.

Bharti had been negotiating with Tesco, the biggest British food retailer, but it seems that Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, known worldwide for its bargains to the consumer, has emerged as the eventual winner. Carrefour, the world's second-largest retailer, is also seeking local partners.

"Bharti, with its deep knowledge of India's fast-growing consumer market, and Wal-Mart, with its extensive global retail experience, share the same commitment to building relationships with producers in ...

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