The Hindu Business Line : VSNL expanding overseas operations

VIDESH Sanchar Nigam Ltd has announced that it is expanding operations overseas through its recently set up `International Business Group' (IBG), which will be headquartered in Singapore.

While Singapore will be the operational hub, IBG will address all the major markets through offices in the US, the UK and Hong Kong, said a release from the company.

The objective of this group will be to expand VSNL's "service capability and customer facing activity" in several strategic markets outside India.

This group will leverage the company's extensive domestic network, its international cable assets, its international MPLS-based IP-VPN network, and its growing value-added service capabilities, said the release.

The IBG will be headed by Mr Vinod Kumar, who has held senior management roles in various telecom companies, including WorldCom, for whom he was CEO in Japan, and Asia Netcom for whom he was Senior Vice-President.

This overseas expansion will also help bring speed and focus to VSNL's evolution as an international player in the telecom space, and also help it to establish direct relationships with foreign customers, who need services to and within India. This will also help Indian corporates to expand their reach overseas, said the release.