India has been doing business with the world long before most countries realized the power of trade.

From Africa to Central Asia to the Pacific, Indians are known for their business acumen and perseverance.

But when it comes to allowing foreigners to set up business in India, things are a bit different; the opposition to foreign direct investment in retail sector is the latest example.

What makes the protests more at odds with reality is the fact that Indians have been running retail chains in other countries for decades.

Let us have a look at some retail giants ruling the overseas markets.

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Melcom Group

Ghana

Melcom Group consists of four separate entities: Melcom Limited, Century Industries Limited, Crownstar Electronic Industries Limited and Melcom Travel and Tours Limited.

Aside from an extensive retail market share with a network of 24 retail outlets spread all over Ghana (Melcom Limited), the group is well-diversified into other businesses.

Melcom was established in 1989 and in 1991, the primary shop in the retail giant's chain opened in Accra Central.

Bhagwan Khubchandani is the chairman of the group.

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Chandarana

Kenya

Chandarana Supermarkets is one of the oldest supermarkets in Kenya, having been established in 1964 as a grocery shop.

Currently, Chandarana has eight stores, with seven in Nairobi and one in Mombassa.

Dipan Thakkar is one of three brothers currently running the chain.

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Mustafa Centre

Singapore

Mustafa Centre is one of Singapore's 24-hour shopping malls, which is located on Syed Alwi Road in Little India.

Mustafa Centre houses the Mustafa department store, which caters mainly to the budget market.

Mustafa was founded by Indian businessman Mustaq Ahmad in 1971, and at first sold mainly clothing.

In 1985, Mustaq moved his business to the ground floor of Serangoon Plaza.

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Emke Group

Dubai

The group, which operates Lulu Hypermarkets, boasts an annual turnover of $3.5 billion globally, and is one of the largest Indian-owned conglomerates in the Gulf, employing more than 22,000 people from over 29 countries.

Heading it is its Managing Director Yusuff Ali MA.

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Landmark Group

Dubai

Billionaire 'Micky' Jagtiani is head of the conglomerate Landmark Group, and one of the most powerful figures in the Middle East retail industry.

Launched in 1973 with a single Bahrain store, Landmark Group has grown into one of the Gulf's largest retail empires.

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Choithram

Dubai

The Choithram supermarket brand was set up in West Africa in 1944 by Thakurdas Choithram Pagarani.

The elder Pagarani opened the first grocery in Sierra Leone and over the last seven decades Choithram and Sons has developed into an international company spanning Europe, North America, Africa as well as the Gulf, and remains a private business.

In the 70s, Choithram came to the Gulf countries and set up in the UAE, Oman, Bahrain and Qatar.

It is now led by Chairman LT Pagarani.

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Al Maya Group

Dubai

Al Maya supermarkets have 30 outlets in the UAE and another four in Muscat, Oman.

Chairman Lachmandas K Pagarani set up a food business in Sierra Leone, then moved away from Africa to London in 1964, before setting up a permanent base in Dubai in the early 1980s.

The group owns Lamcy Plaza, a shopping mall in Dubai.