United Arab Emirates-based operator Etisalat said this week it is in talks to acquire an Indian mobile operator as part of a plan to enter the world’s second largest mobile market.

Etisalat chairman Mohammed Omran told Reuters that the operator is in talks with several Indian telecoms companies, including Spice Communications. He indicated that a deal could be made this summer.

Gulf News reports that Etisalat is also looking at a move into Vietnam and some key African markets. In an interview, Omran said the operator is looking to complement its Egyptian mobile subsidiary Etisalat Egypt by bidding for a fixed-line license. It is also planning to boost its presence in Tanzania by more than doubling its number of subscribers in the country to 2 million by the end of the year.

Etisalat announced separately this week that it has reduced its stake in Saudi Arabian mobile operator Mobily to 26.25% from 35% previously. The sale was a requirement of Etisalat’s licence, which specified that it must reduce its stake in Mobily by 20% within three years of its launch.