Today's NYT brought to my attention this piece of news on Wal-Mart's entry into India via a JV with Bharti Enterprises, the desi cell-phone gaint. As you would have guessed, I have my undies in a twist over this matter. Why you ask?

No, not because I care about about death of the small scale, closed loop local economies or the ecological impact of increased consumption of" Made in China" - oh! wait, they can make all of it in India itself - trash; I don't. After all, I enjoy my Wal-Mart here[1], so why shouldn't junta back in desh enjoy it too? It is all dhanda to me, if Chintu-of-the-galli does it, if Dhirubhai[2] does it, or if Uncle Sam (Walton) does it. In fact nothing would gladden my heart if Wal-Mart in India sells as much print as Wal-Mart sells here[3].

You see why my undies are in a twist now is because of this bet I made with a mad professor a month ago. We got to talking at a dinner (more like me laughing madly at his two hour long improv comedy routine), and we somehow got around to discussing the dynamics of retail businesses in China and India. He asked me what I thought about the prospects for global retailers in India in light of what has been happening in China. I, my mouth stuffed with pan-seared salmon, mumbled "excellent", "they should get in there", "they will rock" etc.

He, however, wagered that that retailers like Wal-Mart would enter the Indian market, and then shut shop, and leave in about two or three years. "Why", I asked. He said because India is a nice tropical country, and people there don't have to buy so much shit to be happy as they have to in China or in pardes. I told him to go smoke some desi ganja, and that he will see the light in any major desi city where he can have a cup of coffee for Rs. 100 - approximately the average salary for millions of other Indians - in a trendy coffeeshop. So we bet on this. Now that Wal-Mart has finally entered the desi scene, excuse me while I go buy its stock to cheer it on.

[1] I actually haven't been inside of a Wal-Mart in more than two years but that the idea that there is a store close by where I can buy cheap undies or a Remington shotgun at 2 AM if I so desire is, somehow, comforting.