Mukesh Ambani's outfit Reliance Retail Limited (RRL) has signed a deal with UK beauty retailer Boots, similar to Bharti's Wal-mart deal. The duo has agreed to get into an equal joint venture for wholesale business.

The partners are planning to operate front-end stores through a franchisee agreement. The stores are expected to be launched under the Boots brand. The deal may also see the launch of pharmacies, health and beauty stores and health care centres, reports Economic Times .

This deal will also mark the comeback of Boots in India, after it called off a joint venture with Nicholas Piramal, following the worldwide sale of its over-the-counter medicines business to Reckitt Benckiser in 2005.

The main reason for the deal stems from the restriction of Indian laws that prohibits direct foreign investment in direct-to-consumer retail companies that sell more than one brand. Boots sells its products under Boots, No 7 and Soltan brands, Unlike Marks & Spencer that sells products under its own label and has invested in RRL.

Whatever the model, one thing is for sure, that the feuding Ambani siblings are on the rampage and want their names everywhere. And yes, both brothers have competitive spirit. what one does the other follows. Yesterday we reported Anil Ambani’s Medybiz partnering  with Mumbai NGO’s for providing home-based health services to geriatrics.

It wouldn’t be a surprise if tomorrow we get to hear that Anil Ambani has teamed up with other beauty product makers like Lancome or Clinique. X
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