Nokia executives meet Nirmala Sitharaman & Ravi Shankar Prasad to resolve tax dispute

NEW DELHI: Top executives from telecom gear and maps maker Nokia Corp met Commerce and industry minister Nirmala Sitharaman and telecom minister Ravi Shankar Prasad Wednesday, as the former handset maker tries to resolve ongoing multi-million dollar tax disputes with the government.

Executives including group chief executive Timo Ihamuotila and executive vice-president of marketing and corporate affairs Barry French from the Espoo, Finland-based company attended the meeting that comes in the backdrop of the new government talking about improving investment climate in India.

“Nokia continuously works with authorities in India to resolve the tax disputes seeking for amicable resolution of the disputes,” the company said in a statement.

“As a major employer in India and significant contributor to the Indian economy, we are pleased to have had the opportunity to have met with representatives of the new government in Delhi.”

Sources in the government said Nokia had raised the tax disputes during the meetings. Nokia executives had met telecom and law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad earlier this month as well. An executive who was part of that meeting had told ET at that time that the company wanted its assets to be released, as a first step towards resolution of the matter.