Telenor given green signal to up stake in Unitech (Lead)
October 19th, 2009 - 6:41 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, Oct 19 (IANS) The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) Monday approved Norwegian telecom major Telenor’s proposal to increase its stake in Unitech Wireless (Tamil Nadu) Ltd to 74 percent.
“This is subject to the conditions recommended by FIPB (Foreign Investment Promotion Board). The approval would result in FDI amounting to Rs.3,740 crore in the country,” Commerce Minister Anand Sharma told reporters here.
Unitech Wireless is a joint venture between India’s Unitech Group and Telenor. The Norwegian firm has invested in the joint venture through its Singapore-based subsidiary Telenor Asia.
At present, Telenor has 67.25 percent stake in Unitech Wireless, a subsidiary of real estate major Unitech.
The government had in August deferred taking a decision on the proposal by Unitech Wireless to raise its foreign shareholding up to 74 percent.
FIPB deferred the decision following reservations of security agencies on the Norwegian firm’s strong presence in Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Unitech had in the same month secured a loan of Rs.5,000 crore (about $1 billion) from state-run premier bank, State Bank of India to fund its mobile network rollout.
Unitech also plans to roll out its services by December and has partnered with companies such as Wireless-TT Info Service Ltd, Quippo Telecom Infrastructure, Alcatel-Lucent, Wipro and Huawei Technologies India for infrastructure and managed services.
- Unitech Wireless secures Rs.5,000 crore loan from SBI - Aug 18, 2009
- Government okays Telenor's plan to up stake in Unitech - Oct 19, 2009
- Alcatel bags $150 mn contract from Unitech Wireless - May 15, 2009
- Income tax department attaches Unitech shares in Uninor - Mar 28, 2012
- Eight foreign investment proposals cleared - Sep 03, 2009
- Telenor asks Sanjay Chandra to step down as Unitech Wireless chief - Apr 20, 2011
- Telenor in talks with domestic firms to continue India service - Apr 20, 2012
- Telcordia bags five-year deal from Unitech Wireless - Jun 29, 2009
- Telenor-Unitech case referred to international arbitration - Apr 12, 2012
- Company Law Board suggests mediation to Telenor, Unitech - Mar 01, 2012
- Telenor to form new company for India operations - Feb 21, 2012
- Telenor moves company law board to protect India investment - Feb 27, 2012
- Contest Telenor's demand for compensation: Unitech - Feb 16, 2012
- Telenor plans Rs.2,000 crore investment in India - Apr 21, 2012
- Telenor's failure will hit India's image: Norwegian minister - May 12, 2012
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