Skip to main content

Spirethoughts: No show for Wal-Mart in India


The highly anticipated re-entry of one of the biggest names in retail, Wal-Mart, into India was a huge disappointment. It has recently dissolved a six-year joint venture with Bharti Enterprises, and eagerly awaits the upcoming general elections; which could mean easing up of restriction on foreign retailers. At present, the laws required foreign retailers to source 30 per cent of their goods from small and medium-sized suppliers; making it harder for them to compete against domestic supermarkets which are not saddled with such restrictions.

Besides, foreign investors are obligated to partner a domestic player so as to enter the India market, with up to 51 percent ownership in local operations. This has resulted in rising investors’ concerns with regards to having no control over the domestic business. Besides, the brand’s reputation could be tarnished if the local player engages in unethical acts, such as corruption and tax battles.


Other global retailers are keeping a close tab on the situation, awaiting policy changes to ease foreign investment. Will this have an adverse effect on the economy amidst concerns of a slowdown?


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

IT investments to pour into India’s healthcare sector

India’s IT association Nasscom and GE Healthcare have forged a strategic partnership to co-create solutions for healthcare challenges through digital applications, remote and connected care among others. The partnership aims to provide cheaper, faster and more effective solutions for treating diseases while revolutionizing the relationship between medical professionals and patients to empower patients. Will tech investments digitalize healthcare in India? Get more information :  https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/it-investments-to-pour-into-indias-healthcare-sector/
Post a Comment
Read more

Africa’s aviation sector opens up

When the African Union (AU) launched the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) in January this year, it finally opened up Africa’s skies. 23 signatories on board, though another 32 AU members are yet to sign on. SAATM’s launch is a part of AU’s Africa 2063 project, which is a commitment to intra-continent development. If a common regulatory framework is put into place, this could benefit intra-continental travellers immensely, thus boosting commerce and tourism flows among African countries. Will Africa become the world’s next big aviation market? Read more here:  https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/africas-aviation-sector-opens-up/
Post a Comment
Read more

Spire speaks on ICT sector at the GATES Vietnam ICT Channel Summit in Da Nang

Spire was honored to participate in the GATES Vietnam ICT Channel Summit 2019 as Event Partner. The Summit was held on 11-13 December, in Da Nang. Japnit Singh, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Spire Group, shared his insights on scope and opportunities. Japnit discussed how the ICT sector in Vietnam holds lucrative opportunities. The country boasts the fastest growing economy in South-East Asia with around 13% GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth for manufacturing from FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) in 2018. With the 4th fastest download speed in ASEAN, Vietnam’s digital economy continues to grow. E-commerce growth is expected to be 14% from 2019 to 2023, with 97% of online purchases executed through mobile phones. The government’s Digital Economy 2020 plan aims to promote smart cities across the country by 2030. Regulatory reform aims to ease digitization in the government and encourage local businesses to adopt technology. To that end, the government plans to is...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Trump Presidency: One year on

One year since President Trump took office, what has been the impact for businesses in Asia? Leon Perera, CEO of Spire Research and Consulting, shared his thoughts in The Business Times – Views from the Top section on 27 November 2017 on the impact on global economy. Thus far, Donald Trump’s Presidency has not been bad for the American stock market and the US dollar. However, the expected infrastructure spending and tax cuts, which drove stock market exuberance in 2016, are still far from being realized and could well be at risk. Perera opined that President Trump’s withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) has caused a strain in global trade relations and has raised the risk of trade frictions. President Trump has also overseen a decline in US influence in the Middle East and Asia. However, the basic fundamentals of the US economy remain strong thanks to its world-class universities, innovative companies, confident consumers, a strong start-up sector as well ...
Post a Comment
Read more

India ranks among the world’s top compact SUV markets!

India overtook Japan in 2017 as the third largest manufacturer of compact SUVs. Big players such as Renault, Mahindra & Mahindra, Ford Motor, Hyundai Motor, Maruti Suzuki and other SUV manufacturers sold 457,698 compact SUVs in 2017 – over four times the unit sales in 2015, at 107,634. While 2016 saw shrinking sales for this vehicle category in China and the USA, sales in India grew nearly 50% from 307,365 units in 2016. Will India overtake China as the world’s largest compact SUV market? For more information, click here.
Post a Comment
Read more