Vodafone says keen to raise stake in India's Bharti

LONDON, Dec 6 (Reuters) Britain's Vodafone Group Plc said on Wednesday it was keen to increase its presence in India and China, where it holds minority stakes in local operators.

''These are markets we would seek to increase our exposure (to) over time whether by direct increase of our stake, which may be the case in India, or by accessing other mobile-reated growth areas which is more likely to be the case in China,'' Vodafone's Chief Executive for its EMAPA emerging markets business, Paul Donovan, told analysts and investors. Vodafone owns 10 percent of India's top mobile operator Bharti Airtel and around 3 percent of China Mobile , the world's biggest mobile operator in terms of subscribers.

Donovan said the group would look to partner with local fixed-line firms in emerging markets to develop the market for total communications, and invest in its own fixed-line network in markets like Romania where it was tough to get a partner.

REUTERS DKS GC1727