New Delhi: British retail major Marks & Spencer (M&S) is looking at scaling up its India operations and plans to open at least 50 more outlets in the country over the next few years. The company, which is present in India through a joint venture (JV) with Reliance Retail, is also looking at increasing its product range in the country. “We currently have 14 stores across seven cities in India and further plan to open at least 50 new stores in India over the next few years,” Marks & Spencer Reliance India Pvt Ltd head of marketing Nandini Sethuraman said in an e-mailed response. “Marks & Spencer believes India offers significant expansion opportunities and the potential is huge with a wider range of products, bigger M&S stores and a better brand experience overall,” she added.

Sethuraman said initial investment in the JV was of 29 million pound (around Rs 220 crore) and both the partners may put in more money in future. “The total value of the initial investment into the JV will be up to 29 million pound sterling, wherein M&S invested up to 14.79 million pound sterling and Reliance Retail invested up to 14.21 pound million sterling. Marks & Spencer entered into a joint venture with Reliance Retail in April 2008 and established Marks & Spencer Reliance India Private Ltd to handle operations of their stores in India. Mark Ashman, the chief executive officer of Marks & Spencer Reliance has said that it's essential for any brand to develop a strategy of localisation to be successful.