Flipkart investment: How Walmart hopes to hit two birds with one stone

The company will not only take on Amazon but also get a partner to enter India's offline retail space

As its investment in Flipkart nears fruition, Walmart is not only looking at the deal as a way to take on its arch nemesis Amazon in India, but is also fulfilling its dream of playing in the vast and untapped offline retail sector in the country.

A partner like Flipkart will allow Walmart to play in India’s offline retail space that largely continues to be served by small unorganised retailers. For Flipkart, the deal could help it tap a much broader base of consumers, helping it grow faster and stay ahead of rival Amazon.

“E-commerce will continue to grow at