MUMBAI: Global lender, Citibank, is set to ramp up its retail banking business in the country and plans to tie-up with local players in distribution and product related areas, a top bank official said."We have a number of plans on partnerships…

We are in discussions...To work with people having competency, to bring more services to customers...," Citi India's Country Business Manager (Global Consumer Group), P S Jayakumar, told reporters on the sidelines of a press conference here.Jayakumar said the bank is looking at tie-ups in the areas of product distribution and technology, without, however, divulging further details.Citi has targeted a growth above the industry average in retail business in the current fiscal and is readying to launch a bouquet of retail products this year, Jayakumar said.

He hinted that the bank planned to launch new products in different segments in retail, which would be based on the internet and mobile banking platforms besides rolling out new products.Citibank already has tie-ups with leading players across various industry segments in its credit card business, such as Indian Oil, Jet Airways, Shoppers' Stop and Taj hotels.Citi group has over 22,000 employees in India of which about over 8,000 are in the retail business side.

The bank plans to enhance its headcount in the months ahead as a part of its expansion strategy in the domestic.