``We would carry the broker plaza concept to other countries where Citibank has operations within the next three years,'' NSEIT executive director Satish Naralkar said.

Broker plaza, a system which would facilitate brokers and investors to directly trade on the exchange using a common Internet infrastructure, would be launched in India this year.

Overseas investors including non resident Indians can also avail this facility as the entire trading would be carried on the Internet, he explained.

Dotex International, a company floated for the purpose by NSE.It (with 51 per cent equity) and Citicorp group company Iflex Solutions (49 per cent), would come up with the facility in Mumbai, Naralkar said.

He said the two companies would invest Rs 25 crore in the project in the first phase for preparing the requisite infrastructure.

``We are talking to companies like Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd (VSNL) and Satyam Infoway for getting the internet gateway facilities,'' he added.

For payment gateways, NSE.It has tied up with HDFC Bank recently and is in talks with other banks apart from getting Citibank's facilities.

Naralkar said the company is targetting the 800-odd NSE brokers apart from those in other regional exchanges to become members of the broker plaza.

``Foreign investors NRIs would also be tapped for the broker plaza,'' he said. About advantages of the virtual trading system, he said small brokers could open terminals at the plaza and get net access, which would have been difficult individually.

``Brokers have to pay a fraction of their brokerage fee and a fixed amount for the basic structure to become part of the plaza,'' Naralkar said.

He said the back-office softwares for the new plaza is being developed. The existing software neatxs is being enhanced for facilitating both NSE and BSE trading in the broker plaza and it would be ready within next three to six months time.

NSE.It is also planning to develop softwares for online payment facilities between bank and depositories, he said.

About other long-term plans, Naralkar said ``we are trying to tie up with overseas bourses for facilitating E-trade.''

The company has recently obtained orders from an upcoming bourse in Nigeria to train members to set and run a fully automated stock exchange, he added.