Reliance Retail has hit back at critics who claim its expansion in India will have a negative effect on the country’s traditional retail.

Chief executive Gunender Kapur told the BBC that organised retailing is set to “create millions of jobs”.

Kapur said he is on a mission to secure stores “all over India” and sales of£12.2 billion. The Indian retail market is worth£162 million and set to double by 2015.

Several Reliance outlets in West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh remain closed after stores were targeted by protesters.

Some 20,000 farmers and shopkeepers also took to the streets of Mumbai last week to protest against the entry of foreign retailers such as US giant Wal-Mart.

Kapur said he will meet with those who have expressed concern about the retailer’s intentions and added there should be “no-go” areas for Reliance in India.

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