Vodafone CEO concerned over media reports

New Delhi, July 9 (UNI) Expressing concern over interpretations in sections of the Indian media, Vodafone today clarified that they would continue to build telecom infrastructure in the country that will encourage further investment inflows.

''We would play a part in meeting the Indian Government's teledensity targets and help serve the Indian consumer,'' Vodafone Chief Executive Officer Arun Sarin said in a statement from Santa Clara.

Mr Sarin's statement comes barely after a day when he had reportedly accused unsuccessful rival bidders of Hutch India trying to derail the acquisition deal.

In May this year, the company completed the acquisition of controlling stake in Hutch-Essar from Hong Kong-based Hutchison Telecom International Ltd (HTIL) for 10.9 billion dollars.

Reliance Communications, Maxis and Hinduja group were among those in the line to buy Hutch-Essar, but the UK-based telecom giant Vodafone won the deal in February.

''I have been concerned by the interpretation in some sections of the Indian media of remarks attributed to me at a pan IIT alumni gathering in Santa Clara in the US last weekend,'' Mr Sarin said in the statement.

Mr Sarin was delivering a keynote speech on the role of leadership in 21st century mobile communications and the global economy. ''My comments about India were made in the context of the need for a positive investment climate globally and it is in that respect that I actually highlighted the speedy approval process for our recent transaction in India, a point that I also made to a CII delegation of Indian CEOs two weeks ago.'' ''We have also publicly expressed our appreciation for the speed and thoroughness with which scrutiny of the transaction took place by various authorities in India,'' Mr Sarin said in the statement.

UNI