American retail major Walmart is reportedly exploring ways to intensify its links with leading e-commerce companies in India, including Flipkart, Snapdeal, ShopClues, Grofers and Bigbasket, to tap the growing online retail opportunity eight years after it entered the country.
Press reports in India said the world's leading retail chain had earlier toyed with the idea of entering the e-commerce fray in India, the growing activities of Amazon in India, has prompted
Walmart to take a more active approach.
India takes the pole
The move coincides with the release of the most recent annual Agility Emerging Markets Logistics Index, put together by Agility and UK supply chain consultancy Transport Intelligence, in which
India has replaced China as the emerging market with the most potential to grow.
In a recent interview, Amazon India head Amit Agarwal told Business Standard that the group has an open cheque book and investment would never be a hurdle for India operations. Walmart and Amazon
compete with each other globally, especially in the U.S., in the online space.
Knocking at Walmart’s doors
According to Rajneesh Kumar, Walmart's vice-president and head, corporate affairs, Walmart India, the company has been approached by several Indian e-commerce businesses to become members and "we
are processing those requests," Kumar said.
Walmart refers to companies and businesses, which buy its products as "members.” No foreign multi-brand retail chain has till now entered into tie-ups with e-commerce companies in India.
E-commerce companies, including Flipkart, Snapdeal and Grofers declined to comment on whether Walmart was talking to them for potential partnership.
Nol van Fenema
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