NEW DELHI – British supermarket retailer Tesco and Indian holding firm Bharti Enterprises are scheduled to complete talks that could bring the first overseas grocery store chain to the Indian market, reports Forbes.

Bharti Chairman and Managing Director Sunil Mittal told the Business Standard that planning “is underway” and that a team “is carrying out extensive research and is testing various models” that could bring Tesco’s offer to Indian consumers. The newspaper notes that Bharti could become a franchisee for Tesco.

Mittal said the talks were scheduled to last for 90 days ending on October 10. According to the newspaper, India has allowed 51 percent foreign direct investment in retail stores “that only sell as single brand,” such as Reebok and Nokia, while retailers such as Wal-Mart “are still banned from such operations.” Such firms can, however, open stores through a franchise agreement with Indian partners.