Malaysia's Telekom Malaysia's partly-owned mobile operator Spice Communications has won the go-ahead to provide national and international long distance services in India.

Telekom Malaysia, which is trying to build a foothold in the Indian telecommunications market, said Spice received the required licenses May 11.

"These licenses will enable Spice to capitalise on the growing demand for communication services in India, a rapidly growing market," TM group chief executive Abdul Wahid Omar said in a statement late Thursday.

Malaysia's biggest telecommunications operator Telekom holds a 49 percent stake in Spice with the other 51 percent held by Indian company Modi Wellvest Private Ltd.

Spice has a customer base of over 2.45 million in the Indian states of Punjab and Karnataka, and the new services are part of a pan-India expansion strategy.

Telekom said Spice's application for licences in other states remained pending.