Vodafone is open to increasing its stake in its Indian telecoms joint venture with Essar Group, reports Reuters. “While they [Essar] have to do what is in their best interest, Vodafone is financially in a position to pick up equity. This will depend on their choice and strategy,” Vodafone CEO Vittorio Colao told the Times of India newspaper. Essar, which owns 33 percent of Vodafone Essar, has an option to sell its entire stake to Vodafone for US$5 billion by May 2011.