India's cabinet could decide as early as this week to throw open the nation's vast retail market to supermarket behemoths such as Wal-Mart and Tesco in a bold but highly controversial reform.

Foreign

The government is likely to approve 51 per cent FDI in multi-brand retail on Thursday, a decision that will allow global mega chains like Walmart, Tesco and Carrefour to open outlets in India.

Incre

The Finance Ministry has given its consent to the draft Cabinet note on opening the multibrand retail to foreign investment, an official said.

"Finance Ministry has given concurrence to the proposal