Vodafone Commits to Invest INR 6,000 crore in Maharashtra

Reiterates commitment to support Digital India and Make in India

Mumbai, 18 February, 2016

Vodafone, one of India’s leading telecommunications service providers, today committed investments totalling INR 6,000 crore for capacity augmentation and new business initiatives in the state of Maharashtra. This significant investment was committed by Mr. Sunil Sood, Vodafone India’s Managing Director & CEO to the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Devendra Fadnavis, at the recently held Make in India Summit.

Welcoming Vodafone’s commitment to further invest in Maharashtra, the Hon’ble Chief Minister said, “Vodafone is India’s largest FDI investor headquartered out of Mumbai. It has played a pivotal role in transforming the telecom landscape of our country. This new commitment is an endorsement of Maharashtra’s stature and potential to fulfil the Make in India and Digital India vision. My government will extend all possible cooperation to Vodafone to ensure that the planned projects and initiatives are executed in time.”

The committed investment of INR 6,000 crore will be used by Vodafone to:

“Make in India for the World” – Vodafone’s high end technology centre in Pune is being further upgraded and its capacity increased to develop products in both engineering and IT for Vodafone companies globally, exemplifying the “Make in India” opportunity and highlighting its success to the world.

• Expand and modernise network across the state, enhance voice and data capabilities, introduce new technologies
• State-of-the-art Tier-4 data centre in Airoli, near Mumbai – This is the first of its kind in the Indian telecom sector and is specially designed to service the evolving communications needs of businesses and enterprises
• Vodafone will invest in setting-up a payment bank that will help accelerate India’s journey into a cashless economy. This payment bank will be headquartered in Mumbai

To cater to the above initiatives, Vodafone will increase its staffing levels to around 15,000 employees over the next few years.

Speaking on the occasion,  Mr. Sood, said, “At Vodafone, we are enthused with the Government’s vision of Digital India and Make in India and are keen to be a partner in its delivery. Vodafone India serves over 194 million citizens, of which almost 100 million are from rural areas. We remain deeply invested in and committed to Maharashtra and are pleased to announce our enhanced investments in the state.”

Since starting operations in India in 2007, Vodafone has already invested over INR 113,000 crore in and over INR 111,000 crore contributed to the exchequer and is today the largest FDI investor in the country.

 About Vodafone India

Vodafone India is a 100% fully owned subsidiary of the Vodafone Group Plc. with operations across the country serving over 194 million customers (over 100 million in rural areas). Commencing operations in 2007, Vodafone is today India’s largest foreign direct investor, with a robust, award winning business and committed for the long term. Vodafone Business Services serves the needs of enterprises and government by providing total telecommunications (Voice and Data) solutions across mobility and wireline platforms. Our mobile wallet, M-Pesa is a unique and innovative money transfer service from Vodafone that fosters financial inclusion.

Committed to optimizing the near ubiquitous reach of mobile telephony to address national developmental priorities, the Vodafone Foundation partners is actively engaged in community development initiatives especially in the domains of m-Women, m-Agriculture, m-Education and Disaster Relief. Building on its global experience and expertise, an outreach across India and offering a comprehensive portfolio of technologies- 2G, 3G & 4G, Vodafone is uniquely positioned to actualize the vision of Digital India

Globally, Vodafone is one of the world’s largest telecommunications companies and provides a range of services including voice, messaging, data and fixed communications. Vodafone has mobile operations in 26 countries, partners with mobile networks in 57 more, and has fixed broadband operations in 17 markets. As of 31st December 2015, Vodafone had 461 million mobile customers and 13 million fixed broadband customers. For more information, please visit: www.vodafone.com.