Tata Group to Open 100 Exclusive Apple Stores Across India

Indian salt-to-software conglomerate Tata Group plans to open 100 stores across the country that will only sell Apple Inc products, the Economic Times newspaper reported on Monday, citing two people aware of the matter.

According to the report, Apple-authorized reseller Infiniti Retail, which owns the consumer electronics retailer chain Croma, will open shops in malls, main thoroughfares, and residential areas.

Tata has begun talks with premium malls and high streets and the lease terms include details of brands and stores that cannot be opened near these outlets, a retail consultant aware of the matter told the publication.

Calls and emails from Reuters seeking comment from Apple and Tata Group were not immediately returned.

The most recent development occurs less than two weeks after the Economic Times published a report claiming that the Tata Group was in negotiations to purchase the sole manufacturing facility in India of Wistron Corp. for up to 50 billion rupees ($605 million).

According to a September Bloomberg report, Tata and Taiwan’s Wistron, one of Apple’s top suppliers in India, were in talks to establish a joint venture to assemble iPhones there.