US burger chain Carls’ Jr is taking on the Indian market.

CKE Restaurants Holdings, parent company of Carl’s Jr, has signed a development agreement with India’s BrightStar Restaurants Private, owned by CybizCorp.

The initial agreement is for up to 100 new Carl’s Jr restaurants. The deal is the first in India for the premium burger chain that believes there is potential for more than 1000 Carl’s Jr restaurants in India over time.

Carl’s Jr is banking on strong demand for what it considers are premium products, centered on a wide variety of charbroiled burgers.

For India, Carl’s Jr will offer a full line of premium vegetarian options to suit Indian tastes and preferences.

“We see tremendous potential in the Indian market, and CybizCorp’s proven track record in the franchise sector in both real estate and food and beverage gives us great confidence in the partnership and our future success in the country,” said Ned Lyerly, president of international business at CKE Restaurants.

Sam Chopra, group chairman and founder of CybizCorp, said now is the time for a premium burger QSRs such as Carl’s Jr to enter India, which is witnessing a ‘burger revolution’, a parallel phenomena witnessed in the pizzas and pasta category a decade back.