In the partnership with Bharti Enterprise, US Wal-Mart stores prepares launch 3-5 cash and carry or wholesale joint stores by the end of the year, announced by a spokeswoman for the world’s largest retailer.

Wal-Mart currently operates 17 cash and carry stores, in India in joint venture with Bharti Enterprises, which owns India’s top mobile telecom operator Bharti Airtel.

Foreign ownership regulations in India do not allow global hypermarket and supermarket chains such as Wal-Mart Stores and Carrefour SA to open shops in the country. Instead, these companies are permitted to operate single-brand wholesale stores in association with Indian partners.

Due to the severe conflict by the oppositions over the decision of the government to allow foreign retail chains to hold 51 per cent in India’s multi-brand retail stores, the issue has been set aside since then.

Walmart also plans to soar up the headcount at its unit, @WalmartLabs, in Bangalore to about 200 by end 2012 from 125 now, Jermey King, chief technical officer of Global e-Commerce, Walmart.com, told reporters in New Delhi.

The unit’s job is to help Wal-Mart capture more online sales from the proliferation of smartphones and social networking websites.