Huawei awaiting Indian clearance to projects

Shanghai (China), Sep 12: Huawei, a leading global telecom player, is awaiting the Indian government's clearance of two projects amounting to 40 milion dollars and relating to R&D expansion programme and an optic network plan.

Longgang-based Huawei Technologies Co Ltd spokesman Fu Jun told a visiting UNI correspondent that his company's applications were pending, since March this year, before India's Foreign Investment Promotion Board under Commerce and Industry ministry. These relate to an R&D expansion wireless project and a software design-related optic network.

The company is supplying products to some Indian groups including Tata and Reliance. Though no ground has thus far been assigned for the delay, reports indicated ''security reasons.'' Huawei would observe patience and wait.

''We are confident that the Indian government will provide approval at the earliest as ours is a global company and there is no security risk at all,'' Mr Jun claims.

The expansion plan will increase the workforce from 1,200 to 2,000 by 2008, 95 per cent of whom will be Indians.

Huawei's annual turnover, which was 8.2 billion US dollars last year, was targeted at 10 billion dollars this year. The company's R&D institute at Bangalore is said to be Huawei's largest outside China. At present, it has six such institutes abroad, including two in the US.

UNI