The company, targeting a $1 billion turnover from Indian operations this year, however does not see any potential to set up a manufacturing facility here in view of the cost advantage in China.
"Cost of manufacturing is still high in India... Also sales have to come to a certain level before we can think of setting up a plant in India," ZTE Corporation Executive Vice- president He Shiyou told visiting Indian journalists here.
With nine to ten new operators set to start mobile service throughout the country, ZTE has started talking to all of them and in fact some of the players, including Russian telecom giant Sistema, which has partnered with Shyam Telelink, has already finalised the Chinese firm as a vendor for its pan-India roll-out of CDMA network.
"We have the capability to set up manufacturing facility in India but the cost advantage is still in China," he asserted.
More From This Section
ZTE has a Research and Development (R&D) facility in India besides a post-sales repair and maintenance factory here.
Asked whether ZTE will be bidding for the 90-million GSM lines expansion proposed by state owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, ZTE officials said the company has already initiated the process and assured to put in its bid for BSNL's tender.