NEW DELHI, INDIA: Indian state telecoms Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) said on Friday it would directly engage Kuwait's Zain for purchasing a stake if talks by a consortium the Indian firm is part of fail.

BSNL, along with Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) are part of a group led by little known Indian company Vavasi, which aims to take a 46 per cent holding in the Kuwaiti firm.

Chairman Kuldeep Goyal said if BSNL had to go directly, it would take MTNL along with it.