By Dhanya Ann Thoppil
BANGALORE--Wipro Ltd. (507685.BY) is trying to get a global
technology services outsourcing contract from Telenor ASA (TEL.OS),
which may help offset a fall in the business it gets from the
Norwegian company in India.
"The objective is to try and take this partnership [in India]
global," Anand Sankaran, senior vice president and head of Wipro's
India and Middle East business, told Dow Jones Newswires
Thursday.
"We are actively working on certain opportunities in Telenor's
global market," he added, without elaborating on any timelines or
possible deal figures.
Wipro, India's third-largest software exporter by sales,
provides services to Unitech Wireless Ltd. -- Telenor's joint
venture with real-estate company Unitech Ltd. (507878.BY) -- as
part of a nine-year contract agreed in May 2009.
Analysts say the deal was valued at $450 million when it was
signed.
However, Wipro's contract with Telenor in India is at risk due
to a Supreme Court order earlier this year cancelling 122 telecom
licenses allotted in 2008, including all the 22 permits that
Unitech Wireless held.
An executive at Telenor wasn't immediately available for
comment.
Write to Dhanya Ann Thoppil at dhanya.thoppil@dowjones.com
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