Red-tapism Makes Doing Business In India Difficult: Vodafone

World's second-largest telecom firm Vodafone, which has tax-related issues in India, has said it is difficult for foreign companies to do business in the country due to red-tapism.

Vodafone India head Marten Pieters said the company had sought government's permission in December last year to fetch funds from the parent company to buy airwaves but it has still not got the clearance.

"Yes, it is difficult to do business in India, that's the general perception I think of foreign companies and that is not just in telecom," Pieters said at Economist India Summit in New Delhi.

However, he further added that the process for doing business in India "can be made much easier, much smoother by just removing a few things."

Talking about the spectrum auctions due in February next year, Pieters said, "I have no answer, I got to know last week that the officer dealing with the file has retired."

"The telecom industry, if you look at it from international perspective is a mess in India ... and it seems to come from this concept which has been developed in the past that the more competition, the better," he added.