DoT for home, and defence ministry views on raising telecom FDI cap
According to sources, DoT is of the view that when the current limit of foreign direct investment (FDI) in telecom sector was raised from 49 per cent to 74 per cent, security agencies and the Home Ministry had raised various security related issues.
DoT therefore is of the opinion that views of the two ministries be sought on the issue before taking a decision on the recommendations of a high-level committee on financing infrastructure (HLCFI) which has proposed raising the FDI cap to 100 per cent from 74 per cent in the telecom sector.
"Views of Ministry of Home Affairs, National Security Council and Ministry of Defence may be sought on the recommendations of HLCFI on raising FDI limit to 100 per cent," said a DoT source.
In order to get more competitive offers in the proposed auctions, the committee had recommended raising the FDI cap to 100 per cent.
The committee had said that auction-based allocation of spectrum would need large infusion of equity by companies and this would require participation of foreign companies.
Stating that present FDI limit of 74 per cent already allows foreign investors to exercise complete control over their telecom companies, the committee has said finding Indian investors for the remaining 26 per cent to take a minority stake constitutes a constraint in getting competitive foreign investment at the right valuation.
The committee cited the examples of sectors such as power, roads, ports among other where 100 per cent FDI is permitted.
Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma has also favoured hiking the FDI cap.
"I am strongly in favour of raising the cap in telecom sector. I have discussed this with the Telecom and Finance ministers and once we have the proposal, we will move the Cabinet for raising the cap to 100 per cent, and also for FDI in defence," Sharma had said.
