Marks & Spencer's ready-made curries could grace India's microwaves within months after the British retailer held talks with Reliance Industries about selling its food range on the subcontinent.

A source close to Reliance, which is controlled by Mukesh Ambani, the richest man in India, said that M&S was among a group of Western brands that have discussed possible tie-ups with the Indian conglomerate.

Reliance plans to build a number of "seamless malls" — developments that will include "shops within shops" and stand-alone boutiques — in large Indian cities including Bombay, Delhi and Bangalore, to appeal to India's burgeoning middle classes.

M&S has been selling clothing in India since 2001 through a franchise agreement with Planet Retail, an Indian retailer, but is yet to make an impression in the food market.

Recent reports have suggested that John Lewis, which runs the rival Waitrose supermarket chain, is looking at accelerating its Indian expansion — a move that could hasten M&S's own efforts.

Reliance has also held talks with luxury brands including Versace, Bulgari and Cartier.

The deals that emerge are likely to include both joint ventures and franchise arrangements.

"We expect to have something substantial to announce in four to five months," the source said.

The highly fragmented Indian retail industry is estimated to be worth nearly £200 billion a year and is expected to double in value by 2015.

However, the prospect of foreign chains entering the market has triggered political concerns amid protests from independent retailers.

It also remains unclear whether consumers used to buying fresh produce will have an appetite for processed food.

The latest talks came after Reliance rebuffed partnership approaches from the world's three largest retailers — Tesco, Carrefour and Wal-Mart — to strike out on its own.

India, which is expected to post economic growth of nearly 9 per cent this year, represents a land of opportunity for Western players in industries ranging from telecoms to banking.

Reaping profits remains challenging, however, as M&S learnt in December, when it was forced to slash the price of adult clothing by up to a third to attract buyers.

M&S said that the company cut prices to position itself as a mid-market retailer in the eyes of Indian consumers, rather than a high-end brand.

Under Indian regulations, M&S would be allowed to own 51 per cent of a retail joint venture in the country and is thought to be looking for partners.

In November, Sir Stuart Rose, the chief executive of M&S, unveiled a fresh push into international markets, which he expects will account for 20 per cent of revenues in five years, up from less than 10 per cent now.

The group plans to enter China on a wholly owned basis and is seeking to trade up to bigger formats of about 40,000 sq ft (3,700 sq m) in India, with a focus on Delhi, Bombay and Bangalore, he said.

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