Telenor signs up new JV partner for telecom auction

Norway's Telenor will bring Lakshdeep Investments & Finance Pvt. Ltd into its new Indian Telewings venture to bid jointly for new mobile telephone licenses, Telenor said on Friday.

Lakshdeep replaces Unitech as Telenor's Indian partner after authorities cancelled their Uninor venture's licenses granted in a corruption-tainted 2008 licensing round.

Lakshdeep, a company controlled by Sudhir Valia, will contribute an undisclosed amount of equity into the new Telewings joint venture, in which Telenor will hold a 74 per cent stake, Telenor added.

Telenor has already submitted an application for prequalification in the upcoming auction as it aims to stay in the country despite being stripped of its permits.

The Supreme Court cancelled 122 regional operating permits held by eight carriers earlier this year, forcing operators to reapply for their permits.

Friday's deal makes it possible for Telenor to take part in next month's auction of Indian mobile telephone spectrum as local rules allow a maximum 74 per cent shareholding by foreign companies in telecom carriers.

“A final decision on whether to participate or not will be made before the auction starts," Telenor said.

Espen Torgersen, analyst at Carnegie, said, "I expect that the risk for the financial investor to be very much reduced, and probably also the upside."