The low level of trust in the Indian government’s investigative and vigilance agencies was revealed when India’s Highest Court,the Supreme Court of India blasted the government for its choice of the Central Vigilance Commissioner.India has been rocked by a series of Housing Loan,Telecom and Land Scams recently implicating top politicians,bureaucrats and even army generals and admirals.However no one expects anyone significant to be prosecuted as the prosecutors themselves are compromised.It is openly known that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is totally controlled by the ruling party at the centre.The Income Tax and Enforcement Directorate also serves as puppets of the government being selectively used against opposition politicians and businessmen.
Nira Radia one of the top lobbyists in India has been exposed through wire taps done by Indian investigative agencies which has been leaked to the media.The conversations in the tape have revealed how this lobbyist has India’s top politicians,bureaucrats,journalists at her beck and call.While it is known that corporate interest wield huge influence amongst Indian government officials,the tapes reveal that Big Business has the government almost completely in its pocket.The 2G Telecom Scam had earlier shown that how top ministers had connived with capricious business houses in swindling the Indian taxpayers of billions of dollars.LIC Housing Finance Scam which has been recently exposed has led to top government company officials being arrested for taking bribes in sanctioning loans to top realty and infrastructure companies.This had been done by a financial intermediary listed on the stock exchange and which had top investors like Goldman,GMO,Fidelity and Morgan Stanley.With the scam exposed these top investment banks have lost their shirt in this investment.
One97 a Private Equity Backed Mobile Value Added Service (VAS) Company is raising Rs 120 crore ( $25 million) from the Stock Market in an IPO.The Company operates in India’s Telecom Sector which is the fastest growing in terms of subscribers and represents a good growth opportunity as 3G services starts to roll out.
The Company has not indicated the pricing of shares as of now ,only that it wants to raise Rs 120 crore.Note the VAS Category is seeing increasing competition with a number of new entrants.One97 has diversified into a combined VAS player cum Technology Investor makings its valuation difficult.Note the VAS sector is no longer a unique or fancied one as OnMobile has already listed sometime ago and its valuation has decreased dramatically since then despite improved profits.I would sit out on this one due to the complicated nature of the business,slowing growth and valuation difficulties.A higher risk investor probably might want to buy this one.
White-box vendors now sell through market stalls and mom- and-pop retailers in India, Russia, the Middle East and Africa and Latin America, where the operators don’t own the channel, Milanesi said.
3G Technology made a lot of waves in India after the government managed to make a huge sum in auctioning off the airwaves required for using the 3G Technology.India’s big telecom providers like Airtel,Reliance,Tata Docomo,Vodafone and others fought tooth and nail for this precious resource.In the end it remains questionable whether the government really gained from the Rs 100,000 crores it got.Critics say that to recuperate this massive expenditure,companies will provide 3G services at very expensive rates making communication in India an overall loser.However it remains to be seen as leading providers Tata Docomo and Airtel start providing 3G services in 2010 itself.Note Docomo is one of the 3-4 Japanese telecom giants which has implemented 3G Technology a few years ago which proved to be a big success.While Japan has had a good 3G experience,other countries did not have it so good.In UK it pretty much turned out to be a cropper.It remains to be seen whether in India it can be a success or not.