Composite FDI (Direct + Indirect) in telecom sector is 74%, which is sectoral cap. After increase of FDI limit from 49% to 74% in November 2005, the companies as per list given in the Annexure have utilized increased FDI ceiling for telecom services.
In February 2009, the Government has further revised the methodology of calculation of indirect foreign investment, according to which FDI of less than 50% in investing company is not counted in the licensee company if the investing company is ‘owned’ and ‘controlled’ by resident Indian citizens. This change of methodology of calculation of indirect foreign investment from earlier proportionate basis to ‘owned’ and ‘controlled’ basis has brought down composite FDI in some of the licensee companies and have given more room to bring in further investment. However, actual foreign investment requirement of a licensee company depends on its business case.
FDI approved in Telecom sector from January 2006
| Sl. No. | Name of the Indian Company | Foreign Country | Activities | FDI |
| 1 | Hughes Escorts Communication Ltd | V-SAT equipment/services in India | 74% | |
| 2 | Aircel Ltd. | Mauritius | CMTS | 74% |
| 3 | BT Telecom India Pvt. Ltd | Mauritius | ILD, NLD | 74% |
| 4 | AT&T Global Network Services India Pvt. Ltd. | USA | ISP, ILD, NLD | 74% |
| 5 | Reliance Communication Ventures Ltd. | FIIs | CMTS | 74% |
| 6 | Bharti Airtel Ltd. | Mauritius /FIIs /OCBs /NRIs | CMTS | 74% |
| 7 | Chorus Call Inc. | USA | tele-conferencing | 51% |
| 8 | Hutchison Essar Ltd. | CMTS | 68.1% | |
| 9 | Essar Telecom Investments Ltd. | Mauritius | Investing company | 99% |
| 10 | Spice Communications Pvt. Ltd. | Mauritius | CMTS | 74.0% |
| 11 | Idea Cellular Ltd. | FIIs, FVCIs | CMTS | 74% |
| 12 | Worldcom Communications (I) Pvt. Ltd. | Singapore | ISP | 74% |
| 13 | Reliance Communication Pvt. Ltd. | GDR | CMTS | 74% |
| 14 | India Holdco(Essar Communications) | Mauritius | Investing company | 100% |
| 15 | Cable & Wireless Networks India Pvt. Ltd. | UK | ILD, NLD | 74% |
| 16 | BT Telecom India Pvt. Ltd | Mauritius | ILD, NLD | 74% |
| 17 | Essar Spacetel Ltd. (now Vodafone Essar Spacetel Ltd.) | Netherlands | CMTS and UASL | 74% |
| 18 | Vodafone Essar Gujarat Ltd. | Netherlands | CMTS and UASL | 74% |
| 19 | Vodafone Essar Cellular Ltd. | Netherlands | CMTS and UASL | 74% |
| 20 | Vodafone Essar Mobile Services Ltd. | Netherlands | CMTS and UASL | 74% |
| 21 | Vodafone Essar South Ltd. | Netherlands | CMTS and UASL | 74% |
| 22 | Vodafone Telecom East Ltd. | Netherlands | CMTS and UASL | 74% |
| 23 | Vodafone Essar Digilink Ltd. | Netherlands | CMTS and UASL | 74% |
| 24 | Equant Network Services India Pvt. Ltd. | France | ISP | 74% |
| 25 | Sistema Joint Stock Financial Corporation | Russia | UASL | 41% |
| 26 | Global Assets Holdings Corporation P. Ltd. | Malaysia | Network Services | 49% |
| 27 | Ortel Communication Ltd. | Mauritius | Network Services | 71% |
| 28 | Hathway Cable & Datacom Pvt. Ltd. | Mauritius | Cable TV Network | 37% |
| 29 | Devas Multimedia Pvt. Ltd. | USA | ISP – operating cum holding | 70% |
| 30 | SingTel Australia Holding Pte ltd | Singapore | Internet, IT consultancy services etc. | 74% |
| 31 | ExlServices.com (India) Pvt. Ltd | USA | internet and voice based customer care | 74% |
| 32 | Hathway Cable & Datacom Pvt. Ltd. | Mauritius | Cable TV Network | 43% |
| 33 | Aditya Birla Telecom Ltd | Mauritius | CMTS | 68% |
| 34 | Essel Shyam Communication Ltd | CCPS | uplinking services, VSAT services | 49% |
| 35 | Den Network Ltd | FIIs, FVCI, VCF | cables distribution and internet services | 49% |
| 36 | Equnat Network Services India Pvt. Ltd | Netherlands | ILD/NLD/ISP | 74% |
| 37 | Alcatel-Lucent India Ltd | France | telecom based services | 67% |
| 38 | Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra) Ltd | Japan | telecom services | 20% |
| 39 | Tata Teleservices Ltd | Japan | Telecom services | 26% |
| 40 | Bharti telemedia Ltd | NRI/OCB | Teleport Activity | 48% |
| 41 | Pacific Internet India Pvt. Ltd. | Singapore | ISP | 74% |
| 42 | Telecordia Technologies Inc | USA | MNP Solutions | 74% |
| 43 | Asianet Satellite Communications Ltd. | Mauritius | Teleport Activity | 48% |
| 44 | Broadband Pacenet India Pvt. Ltd | Cyprus | ISP | 45% |
| 45 | Tikona Digital Networks Pvt. Ltd. | – | ISP | 70% |
| 46 | Vodafone Essar Spacetel Pvt. Ltd. | – | ILD/NLD/ISP | 74% |
| 47 | Powermax Communications | USA | Broadband communications services | 74% |
| 48 | Unitech Wireless | Singapore | UASL | 67% |
| 49 | Devas Multimedia Pvt. Ltd. | Mauritius | ISP | 74% |
| 50 | Scorpios Beverages Pvt. Ltd. | Cayman Island | Investing company | 49% |
| 51 | AG Mercantile Company Pvt. Ltd. | Cayman Island | Investing company | 49% |
| 52 | Telecom Investments Indian Pvt. Ltd. | Cayman Island | Investing company | 49% |
| 53 | Sistema Shyam Teleservices Ltd. | Russia | UASL | 74% |
| 54 | Tikona Digital Networks Pvt. Ltd. | Mauritius | ISP | 69% |
This information was given by the Minister of State for Communications & Information Technology, Shri Sachin Pilot in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.
