Skip to main content

Customers shop inside a Best Price Modern Wholesale store, a joint venture of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Bharti Enterprises, at Zirakpur in Punjab Nov. 24, 2012.Ajay Verma/Reuters

India's government announced an inquiry into lobbying practices by Wal-Mart Stores Inc. on Wednesday after a report that the giant retailer had pressed U.S. lawmakers to help gain access to foreign markets.

Wal-Mart disclosed in a report to the U.S. Senate it had paid $25-million (U.S.) over four years to lobby American lawmakers, in part to help gain access to overseas markets including India.

The report spurred opposition lawmakers, who oppose Wal-Mart's entry into India, to call for an inquiry into whether any money was spent there, even though the disclosure filing only referred to lobbying activities in the United States.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath told parliament that a retired judge would be appointed to lead an investigation "pertaining to Wal-Mart's lobbying."

No further details were available about the inquiry.

Government officials have said privately there is nothing to investigate since Wal-Mart's lobbying activities in the United States were not illegal.

Wal-Mart has labelled as false allegations that a routine U.S. lobbying disclosure form reflected improper conduct on their part in India.

"This disclosure has nothing to do with political or governmental contacts with India government officials," said a Bharti Walmart spokesperson.

"It shows that our business interest in India was discussed with U.S. government officials along with 50 or more other topics during a three-month period."

In its filing with the U.S. government, Wal-Mart lists several topics of domestic and foreign trade discussed in its lobbying effort, including supply chain security issues, investments overseas and Wal-Mart exports. One of the topics it discussed was foreign direct investment in India.

All organizations that spend more than $11,500 annually on lobbying activities and employ at least one lobbyist must register and file the quarterly reports, the spokesperson added.

The government wants to resolve the matter as quickly as possible so that parliament can pass important financial bills before the winter session ends on Dec. 20.

Wal-Mart has found itself entangled in a fight between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's fragile minority government and political opponents determined to thwart supermarket reform which, they say, will destroy the livelihoods of millions of small store owners.

Opposition parties have sought to portray Mr. Singh's government as the pawn of powerful foreign companies ahead of national elections due in 2014.

Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart has been the most active among foreign supermarket operators keen to push their way into India's huge retail market.

Report an editorial error

Report a technical issue

Tickers mentioned in this story

Study and track financial data on any traded entity: click to open the full quote page. Data updated as of 28/03/24 0:54pm EDT.

SymbolName% changeLast
WMT-N
Walmart Inc
-0.23%60.58

Interact with The Globe