Group managing director Canning Fok said applications for licences would be made once the Indian government announced plans for their issue.

He told reporters the move to increase the group's ventures in India did not mean the company was switching its focus from Europe to Asia. "We have different business plans in different areas," he was quoted saying by AFP Financial News subsidiary AFX-Asia. Mr Fok said Hutchison Telecom's network had not been affected by the earthquake in Gujarat. Hutchison's Indian mobile ventures include a partnership with Max India and Kotak Mahindra in Mumbai, a 49 per cent stake in Sterling Cellular in Delhi, 49 per cent of Usha Telekom Ltd in Calcutta and 14.7 per cent of Fascel in Gujarat.

(AFP)