Tata vs Reliance: A two-front battle -- renewable energy and retail

Their renewable energy and retail plans offer contrasting strategies; if they pan out, the consumer is the guaranteed winner

With Reliance Ind­u­stries chairman Mukesh Ambani announcing a $10-billion foray into green energy last month and promising to shake up the market, the after effects were not only felt across other power com­panies but also at the Tata group, which is aiming to be a significant player in the renewable power business. The competition from RIL comes at a time when the Tatas are also preparing to launch their super app for online retailing where Reliance Retail is promising to increase its gross market value (GMV) to $15 billion by 2025.

The Tatas, the country’s largest corporate group, currently have