<p class="bodytext">Ikea said on Friday it will open its second Indian store on December 18, seeking to woo the nation's growing middle class with Swedish functionality and a dash of local masala.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The furniture giant opened its first Indian outlet two years ago in the southern city of Hyderabad. Its next shopfront will be on the outskirts of financial capital Mumbai.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We are very excited, as Mumbai is one of our priority markets in India," Ikea India chief Peter Betzel said in a statement.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Ikea is betting big on the world's second-most populous country and its 1.3 billion people, planning to open 25 outlets by 2025 as it diversifies away from Western markets.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Hyderabad outlet mixes the brand's staple selection of "Billy" bookshelves and bedspreads with "locally relevant products" like spice boxes and mattresses with a coconut-fibre centre.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Its canteen serves Ikea's signature meatballs but without beef or pork in deference to local religious practice, as well as local favourites like biryani.</p>.<p class="bodytext">With coronavirus cases nearing 10 million in India -- but with economic activity almost back to normal -- Ikea said customers will have to register online for an alloted time slot to visit the.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The home goods behemoth first tried to enter India in 2006 but was foiled by strict foreign investment rules obliging international firms to partner with local companies.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Ikea said its new store would create over six thousand jobs by 2030, with the aim of ensuring half of its employees are women.</p>
<p class="bodytext">Ikea said on Friday it will open its second Indian store on December 18, seeking to woo the nation's growing middle class with Swedish functionality and a dash of local masala.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The furniture giant opened its first Indian outlet two years ago in the southern city of Hyderabad. Its next shopfront will be on the outskirts of financial capital Mumbai.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We are very excited, as Mumbai is one of our priority markets in India," Ikea India chief Peter Betzel said in a statement.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Ikea is betting big on the world's second-most populous country and its 1.3 billion people, planning to open 25 outlets by 2025 as it diversifies away from Western markets.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Hyderabad outlet mixes the brand's staple selection of "Billy" bookshelves and bedspreads with "locally relevant products" like spice boxes and mattresses with a coconut-fibre centre.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Its canteen serves Ikea's signature meatballs but without beef or pork in deference to local religious practice, as well as local favourites like biryani.</p>.<p class="bodytext">With coronavirus cases nearing 10 million in India -- but with economic activity almost back to normal -- Ikea said customers will have to register online for an alloted time slot to visit the.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The home goods behemoth first tried to enter India in 2006 but was foiled by strict foreign investment rules obliging international firms to partner with local companies.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Ikea said its new store would create over six thousand jobs by 2030, with the aim of ensuring half of its employees are women.</p>