India's top international telecoms provider Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd said on April 18, it would seek more acquisitions to boost its network access and expand the range of services on offer to customers.
VSNL completed the acquisition of telecoms network services firm Teleglobe International Holdings Ltd in February and the purchase of Tyco International's global undersea fibre optic cable network unit last July.
"We are on the look-out for both network-related acquisitions and those in the services space," VSNL International President Vinod Kumar told Reuters in an interview.
"It's important to move beyond connectivity, and we're looking at companies that can offer value-added services that complement the network, such as email, audio and video conferencing, network management services and network security."
However, Kumar declined to comment on whether VSNL was currently engaged in talks with any party.
He confirmed that VSNL was bidding for China Netcom Group Corp's Asia Netcom asset, but declined to provide any details.
An unidentified source close to the deal told Reuters last week that a British group led by former head of Hong Kong telecom giant Hutchison Whampoa Simon Murray had clinched the bid for $350 million.
VSNL, a former state-controlled international telecoms monopoly now run by India's salt-to-software Tata conglomerate, offers long-distance call services, Internet broadband services and leased circuits that allow companies to set up data, voice, video and Internet links with their overseas offices.