Carrefour pulled out of the Indian market in 2014, closing five wholesale stores after only a four-year presence in the country.

The supermarket group did not say how many stores may open in India.

With its population of more than 1.4 billion, “India is a strategic market pulled by economic growth, urbanisation and the growing purchasing power of consumers”, Carrefour said in a statement.

Patrick Lasfargues, Carrefour’s executive director of international partnerships, said the move was an “an important step in our strategy of expanding our franchise in more than 10 new countries by 2026”.

Carrefour has more than 14,000 stores in more than 40 countries.

Apparel Group, a fashion and lifestyle retail company, already has a presence in India where it employs 24,000 people.