FDI in multi-brand retail okayed by Indian parliament – but how keen are brand owners?

Last week, the Indian parliament voted to approve foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail in the country, almost one year on since the limit on FDI in single-brand retail was removed. This potentially opens up major opportunities for leading retail chains such as Tesco, Wal-Mart and Carrefour – but stringent limitations and a mixed political reaction to the changes may result in a cautious approach from brand owners.