Telenor plea to hike stake in Indian unit approved
15 Jun 2013 12:09 AM GMT
The Finance Ministry on Friday cleared the foreign proposal of Norway's Telenor to hike stake in its domestic subsidiary to 74 per cent from 49 per cent. Telenor had sought government approval to hike stake by 25 per cent in its domestic subsidiary Telewings Communications to 74 per cent. 'In accordance with procedure, Telenor Group have applied for FIPB approvals to allow us to invest further in India and increase our ownership from 49 per cent to 74 per cent in Telewings Communications Services Private Limited. We await the formal communication of this application from the Indian Government,' Telenor said in a statement.
In March, the FIPB had deferred a decision on the proposal. Telenor's India unit, which operates under the brand name Uninor, has presence in six circles — Maharashtra, Gujarat, UP East, UP West, Bihar (including Jharkhand) and Andhra Pradesh. The company last year won spectrum for Rs 4,018 crore to offer mobile phone services in these circles. Earlier this month, Telenor Group President and Chief Executive Officer Jon Fredrik Baksaas met Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma in Myanmar.
In March, the FIPB had deferred a decision on the proposal. Telenor's India unit, which operates under the brand name Uninor, has presence in six circles — Maharashtra, Gujarat, UP East, UP West, Bihar (including Jharkhand) and Andhra Pradesh. The company last year won spectrum for Rs 4,018 crore to offer mobile phone services in these circles. Earlier this month, Telenor Group President and Chief Executive Officer Jon Fredrik Baksaas met Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma in Myanmar.
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