New Delhi: The Russian government on Tuesday discussed the issue of 2G licence cancellation of Sistema Shyam Teleservices Ltd (SSTL) by the Supreme Court with the Indian counterparts, sources said.
The issue came up for discussion during the meeting of Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma and Russian Minister of Economic Development and Trade Elvira Nabiullina in New Delhi on Tuesday, they said.
The Supreme Court in its February 2 order had cancelled 122 mobile licences, including 21 of SSTL, awarded in 2008 under the then telecom minister A Raja terming them illegal.
The SC had allowed the impugned licences to run for four months after which the cancellation order will become operative.
Sistema has a joint venture with India's Shyam Group SSTL in which the Russian government also has a stake of 17.14 per cent. Operating in India under the MTS brand name, SSTL has a user base of over 15 million.
Seeking protection of its USD 3.1 billion investment in India, Sistema has already filed an appeal in March in the SC.
Sistema has also sent a proposal to the Indian government for settling the licence dispute within six months. It has said it reserves the right to begin proceedings against India in an international tribunal if the dispute is not settled "in an amicable way" by August 28.
The Russian Government is also likely to take up the matter of cancellation of SSTL's licences with Indian leaders during the upcoming BRICS summit to be held in Delhi on March 29.
"All matters of this kind are usually discussed at the highest level. I believe that they (Russian and Indian leaders) will be discussing this issue on an informal basis," Arkady Dvorkovich, an adviser to the Russian President, in Moscow had said.
Besides, India and Russia have also decided to raise their bilateral trade of USD 5.7 billion and signing a long-term purchase agreement for procuring rough diamonds from Russia.
India also took up the case of protecting the geographical indication (GI) for tea.
The bilateral meeting is of great importance as India is hosting the fourth BRICS summit on March 29 in New Delhi.
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