Norwegian telecom major Telenor’s CEO Jon Baksaas has said the company is committed to continue its relationship and enhance its engagement with India, days after the Government decided to allow it to adjust its entry fee for the 2G spectrum auctions against the final price.

In a meeting with Commerce & Industry Minister Anand Sharma on the sidelines of the ongoing World Economic Forum for East Asia in Myanmar, Baksaas thanked the Government for the recent decision but said there were some other issues that needed to be sorted out.

“The CEO congratulated the Minister for recent measures taken to protect investments in the light of what he called unfortunate incidents of recent development. He said that it had been reassuring for Telenor and other investors,” a Commerce Department official told Business Line .

Telenor had lost its 22 licences to operate in India after the Supreme Court judgment early last year cancelling all 2G licences issued during tainted former Telecom Minister A. Raja’s tenure. It participated again in fresh auctions later in the year and won the licences for six circles.

Recently, the Government allowed the company to adjust the fees paid for the cancelled licences against prices of the new ones.

Awaits clearance

The company, however, is troubled over the delay in clearance for its request to increase its stake from 49 per cent to 74 per cent in Telewings Communications, its joint venture with Lakshdeep Investments & Finance. Telenor had got into a new joint venture last year after its earlier partner Unitech exited the Uninor joint venture.

“The company’s CEO told the Minister that there were pending issues that he hoped would be cleared by the Ministry’s intervention,” the official said.

amiti.sen@thehindu.co.in

Related Topics
comment COMMENT NOW