(16 May 2006 5:00 pm)

MUMBAI: ND SatCom, a global supplier of satellite-based broadband VSAT, broadcast and defence communication network solutions has announced the formation of a 50-50 joint venture with Grintex India Ltd.

ND SatCom-Grintex Communications Limited will offer the complete ND SatCom product portfolio and is based out of the multinational corporate hub at Gurgaon, just outside New Delhi, a location which will enable ND SatCom to optimally serve its local clients.

The joint venture will boost activities on the Indian subcontinent to meet the growing demand for satellite communication as the region further realizes its economic potential. The main target markets are the government and broadcast sectors of India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka.

ND Sat Com chairman & CEO Dr Karl Classen will also function as the chairman of ND SatCom-Grintex Communications Ltd. Hariharan Gautam heads the new Indian company as CEO and is supported by a highly qualified and experienced local sales and engineering team.

"From a strategic point of view, the joint venture creates a future-oriented starting point to position ND SatCom-Grintex Communications Ltd. prominently in India and the South Asian region. It is a good platform to reach out to other markets in the region," comments Gautam.

Dr Karl Classen emphasizes, "The official opening of ND SatCom’s India joint venture represents our long term commitment to become a major provider of satellite communication solutions in this important emerging market."

Over the last three years, ND SatCom has successfully implemented its policy of establishing itself as a global company with strategic local representations.

Headquartered in Germany, ND SatCom has subsidiaries in Abu Dhabi (UAE), Beijing (China), Dallas (USA) and Moscow (Russia). Furthermore, the company operates through its regional sales and service offices around the world, including Mexico City, Miami and Singapore.