Asics started sales of its products in India from the beginning of this year, through a subsidiary it opened in April 2012 to provide marketing support to its distributor, the Reliance Retail, which sold Asics through its Footprint stores and at wholesale. Rajat Khurana, director of Asics India, told Indian newspapers that this agreement would end in March but Reliance would remain Asics' preferred partner for retail development. He was quoted as saying that Asics targeted Indian sales of 28 crore in Indian rupees (€4m-$4.5m) and wanted to triple sales in three years. While Asics has only one Indian brand store in Kochi so far, the plans called for the opening of up to 35 mono-brand stores, mostly in large cities through franchise partners. The move fits in with Asics' priority to expand in emerging markets, as outlined in its strategic growth plan. Asics has been an official sponsor of the Mumbai Marathon since 2008 and has achieved brand recognition among India's increasing number of runners. Based in Gurgaon, near New Delhi, Asics India wants to actively develop products for sports that are popular in India, led by cricket as well as badminton and volleyball.

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