New Delhi: Bharti Airtel Lanka Pvt Ltd will invest up to $200 million by 2009 for offering mobile services in Sri Lanka. The recent plan is a part of company’s strategy to amplify its presence beyond India.

The company is all set to instigate both 2G and 3G mobile services in Sri Lanka by the end of the current fiscal.

Sanjay Kapoor, President, Mobile Services, Bharti Airtel, said the services will be launched under the Airtel brand in the Island nation.

“We are committed to offering world-class and affordable 2G and 3G services to customers in Sri Lanka. With mobile penetration of around 30 per cent and growing at a rate of approximately 2 million mobile users per annum, we are excited about our entry into this market. Our plans for Sri Lanka clearly demonstrate our commitment to the market and also our confidence in the potential that this market holds in Airtel’s overseas expansion journey,” Mr. Kapoor added.

As the company is currently establishing its operations, a big part of the planned investment will be made within the next 12 to 18 months.

Recently the company got the license to become the fifth mobile service provider in Sri Lanka.

Dialog Telekom is the country’s leading service provider and the other operators in the country include Mobitel, Celltel Lanka and Hutchison Telecommunications.

The company had bid for licenses in Qatar, Kenya and Kuwait. Bharti is also looking at countries in Africa and Asia to swell its footprint.