Vodafone India chief Martin Pieters has made a fresh call for the Indian government to consider reforms that would make it easier for foreign firms to do business in the market.
Speaking at The Economist's India summit, Pieters complained that slow government approval processes are a significant factor making it difficult for foreign telcos to operate in the market, the EconomicTimessaid.
Pieters noted that the operator had sought approval in January to bring in funds from the Vodafone Group to help acquire new spectrum, and is still awaiting clearance.
He urged the government to make more spectrum available and to facilitate industry consolidation to help ease the market's competitive pressures. These moves could help attract more investment capital to the telecom infrastructure segment, stimulating the economy, he said.
Vodafone and the Indian government have had a complicated relationship. Both have been embroiled for years in a tax battle surrounding the operator's acquisition of its Indian unit from Hutchison.
But Vodafone was also one of the first international operators to win approval to buy full control of its Indian unit under India's new relaxed foreign direct investment (FDI) rules.