Vodafone's Indian division has won spectrum licences for STG1.9 billion ($A3.54 billion), the mobile phone giant says, tapping further into emerging markets amid tough trade in Europe.
Analysts on Friday described the move as "astute" for the London-listed company, which is flush with cash from the recent sale of its US joint-venture stake to partner Verizon for $130 billion.
"Vodafone India has been awarded spectrum licences in 11 telecom circles in the Indian government's 900 MHz and 1800 MHz spectrum auction," it announced in a brief statement.
In an Indian government auction on Thursday, the group acquired a total of 23MHz in the 900MHz band in Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata and 49MHZ in the 1800MHz band in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Karnataka, Kerala, Gujarat, UP East, Rajasthan, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh and Punjab.
Vodafone India has over 160 million customers, with 45.7 million mobile internet users.
"This is further evidence of Vodafone expanding its horizons, and with a cash pile coming from its sale of Verizon Wireless in the maturing US market to the potentially huge and expanding Indian market," said analyst Mike McCudden at broker Interactive Investor.
"Strategically this is an astute and prospectively exciting move by Vodafone," he told AFP.
Vodafone has meanwhile proposed to buy out its minority partners in Vodafone India for about $1.6 billion and is currently awaiting approval from Indian authorities.
