Mumbai, April 11 - India's Bharti Enterprises said on Wednesday it will sign a deal in April with Wal-Mart Stores Inc. for a joint venture in cash-and-carry and back-end supply for its retail operations, nearly a month later than previously expected.
"The deal will be signed this month," a spokesman for the Indian firm said. He did not say why the deal was delayed.
Top executives from the U.S. giant had met Indian government officials early in March and Bharti Chairman Sunil Mittal had said at the time that the two firms were very close to a deal.
Bharti Retail Ltd., wholly-owned by Bharti Enterprises, has said it will spend $2.5 billion by 2015 on setting up hypermarkets, supermarkets and other stores across India.
The proposed entry of Wal-Mart in India's fragmented $300 billion retail industry, which is dominated by small stores, has triggered political concerns and protests from trade unions and small shop owners who fear job losses.