The Hindu Business Line : Gemplus India eyes big business in Sim, smart cards

NEW DELHI: Indian subsidiary of France-based Gemplus on Monday said that it is eyeing a large chunk of growing business of Sim cards in mobile telecom market and Sim cards in other areas of activity, including the proposed national citizens cards.

As the business grows in India, the company would increase the size of its technical development and support centre in Bangloare, which employs just 20 people at present, Gemplus India Ltd Managing Director, Mr Vijay Parthasarathy said on the sidelines o f a seminar on smart cards.

He said that the company is likely to capture 25 to 30 per cent of expected 350 million Sim cards in mobile telecom segment in India in the next two-three years.

Worldwide, Gemplus has sold 300 million Sim cards in the total one billion Sim card market. He said that Gemplus would bid for the pilot project of national citizens cards.

The Registrar General of India (RGI) is going to float a tender for 2.8 million citizens cards for 20 districts in India, Mr Parthasarathy said.

Based on the pilot project's success, RGI would come out with citizens card nationwide by 2006-end, he said, adding, "We are going to bid for it as well."

He said that a card would cost $1 to $2 and would be less expensive when every citizen of more than 15 years of age is given the card because of volume.

The company is also eyeing a big share of business in credit and debit cards when they are changed to smart card from the present magnetic stripe cards. - PTI

Prev: Nokia to announce site of global network operations centre soon
Next: Moschip allots 72,401 shares to employees

Business Line | NUS Index |

In Focus

BHEL Disinvestment

The Yuan Revaluation

Dabhol power regenerated

Tracking the rains

Sethusamudram Canal Project

India Inc's overseas acquisition

In Depth

Gender Justice

Simple Economics

Tax Talk