Consider Indian telco bids 'seriously', Sharma asks Myanmar

India today asked Myanmar to seriously consider the bids of Indian telecom companies like Bharti Airtel for expanding telephone services in the Junta-ruled nation.
The issue was discussed during the meeting of visiting Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma and Myanmar's Communications and Information Technology Minister U Myat Hein here.
Both the Ministers discussed the selection process for telecom companies which is going on in Myanmar.
Keeping in mind the geographical contiguity and strategic interest, Sharma said that "the bids of the shortlisted Indian companies may seriously be considered".
Hein conveyed Sharma that he had full faith in the capacity of the Indian companies to compete in the process.

Hein also assured that the process will be "fully transparent and open".

The Myanmar government had called for bids for two telecom licences and shortlisted 12 applicants. Bharti Airtel has submitted its final bid for telecom licence in the country.
Apart from Airtel consortium, there are 10 other bidders in the race for two new licenses in Myanmar, which include Axiata, Digicel, France-Tel, KDDI, Millicom, MTN, QTel, SingTel, Telenor and Viettel.
A consortia of Vodafone and China Mobile decided to opt out of the bidding process.
The winners are expected to be announced on June 27.
Later in the day, Sharma also met Telenor Group President and CEO Jon Fredrik Baksaas, who has raised some of the issues which are pending regarding their investments in India.

Sharma assured Telenor President that the same would be expedited with the relevant authorities.
Baksaas conveyed Telenor's commitment to stay engaged in India and improve its presence.
"Telenor President also communicated his appreciation for the Government's intervention to work out a solution for the protection of the investment of the telecom companies," an official statement said.
"This has been reassuring for Telenor and other investors," the statement quoting Baksaas said.
The Norwegian telecom behemoth, Telenor Mobile Communications' application for its new Indian subsidiary, Telewings was pending before the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB).
Sharma said that over the next few years, "we will see an investment of around USD 2.6 billion from India to Myanmar." I

India is the tenth largest investor in Myanmar with an investment estimated at USD 273.5 million.