Maxis CEO Sandip Das (right) with Aircel COO Gurdeep Singh in Calcutta on Monday. A Telegraph picture

Calcutta, May 5: Malaysian telecom major Maxis Communications Berhad, which owns 74 per cent of Aircel Ltd, is considering picking up stakes in other telecom companies for a pan-India footprint in the next two years.

Maxis plans to invest $4-5 billion in India in the next couple of years to ramp up its network. Saudi Telecom, which holds 24 per cent in Maxis, is also planning to expand in the country through Maxis.

“We are exploring multiple options, including buyouts and mergers, which will help expand our footprint,” said Sandip Das, group CEO of Maxis Communications, at the launch of the Aircel service here today.

Das did not rule out the possibility of being a mobile virtual network operator to an existing player in the region.

The proposed investment will be a mix of debt and equity. The company is open to various options, including stake dilution. Maxis has been approached by a number of foreign operators keen to set up shop in India.

“We are also looking at a possible listing of Aircel in 2009,” said Gurdeep Singh, chief operating officer of Aircel Cellular Ltd.

Aircel has 7,000 towers and plans to increase this to around 20,000 as it expands in four to five circles in the next one year.

Bengal plans

Aircel has invested Rs 1,100 crore in Bengal in the last two years, including Rs 500 crore for setting up the Calcutta service.