DIPP to move proposal for 51% FDI in Multi-brand retail sector

02 Jun 2011 Evaluate

The Department of Industry Policy and Promotion (DIPP) under the Ministry of Commerce, is expected to move a proposal asking cabinet approval for 51% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail sector. To avoid any political resistance from opposition and left parties, the DIPP proposal has made state government - the final authority to take any final decision on front-end retail store in their states.

Multinational retailers giants like Walmart, Carrefour and Tescoa are trying to enter in India’s $400 billion retail sector which is traditionally dominated by small scale retailers or Kirana’s. As per the DIPP official, a draft framework has been prepared keeping adequate safeguards to protect small shopkeepers, and to ensure that FDI actually helps in development of back-end infrastructure. The department has circulated a draft framework to a committee of secretaries (CoS), which will fine-tune it before a final cabinet note is moved.

At present, India allows 51% FDI in single-brand retail and 100% in wholesale cash-and-carry. The draft framework prepared by DIPP has a rider that foreign retail giants will have to invest a minimum of $100 million and it suggests that at least 50% of the total FDI proposed by an investor should be in back-end infrastructure for which a statement of account would be field with central bank and Foreign Investment Promotion Board. For monitoring purpose government will allow back end infrastructure to be executed through a devoted entity. According to draft proposal, the multi-brand retailers would be required to source at least 30% of their products, including food items from small and medium enterprises (SME), and these multi-brand retail outlets will be allowed to open in the cities with more than 10 lakh population (2011 census).

The DIPP official said, 'The government is very clear that FDI in multi-brand retail should create large-scale employment and bring quality investment into the country leading to development of back-end infrastructure”.
 
Recently, Inter Ministerial Group (IMG) too had suggested opening up Multi-brand Retails sector for FDI and changes in agriculture marketing lows to check the rate of price rise. Chief Economic adviser and Inter Ministerial Group (IMG) Chairman Kaushik Basu has said, “We are taking a clear position on FDI in multi-brand retail. Of course, it is a recommendation, not policy.”

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