INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
talks with Reliance Industries' retail unit to buy a stake in India's biggest brick-and-mortar retailer, two sources with knowledge of the
talks told Reuters on Friday.Amazon's massive online presence could help bolster Reliance's consumer and private labels business
More importantly, a potential partnership will help the duo counter Walmart, which last year invested $16 billion in Flipkart, in their
battle for a bigger share of India's fast-growing e-commerce market.In late December, government modified rules around foreign direct
investment (FDI) in e-commerce, creating additional hurdles for companies such as Amazon and Flipkart, and giving companies such as Reliance
an edge.Amazon had made the proposal to Reliance for the partnership, but it was not clear whether a deal would materialize, said one of the
sources.The second source said Amazon had been pondering a proposal to purchase an up to 26 per cent stake in the Reliance unit since at
least February."For Amazon, it is about neutralizing a major rival and allowing itself to grow," said the second source, who added the
company envisions helping Reliance's roughly 40 brands and grocery products go online.Amazon and Reliance did not immediately respond to
requests for comment on Friday
Amazon had on Thursday declined to comment, while Reliance had said it would make any disclosures to stock exchanges as and when
necessary.Reliance could potentially leverage Amazon's global experience in technology, supply chain and logistics as it aims to connect
grocery stores across the country digitally through its Jio telecoms network.For Amazon, picking up a stake in a Reliance unit could mean
getting access to the Jio telecoms platform and its vast retail footprint of more than 10,600 stores across India
It might also add more firepower to their lobbying efforts, as the Ambani family is viewed as being well-connected politically.Seattle-based
Amazon is keen to get a bigger share of India's e-commerce market, which Deloitte expects to more than treble to $84 billion between 2017
and 2021.Reliance was previously in talks with China's Alibaba to sell a stake in Reliance Retail, but a deal could not be sealed due to
differences in valuation, according to a person familiar with the matter.Get Breaking news, live coverage, and Latest News from India and
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