India plans to push ahead with listing Bharat Sanchar Nigam, the state-owned telecoms group, in what would be the country’s first large privatisation since the government came to power four years ago.

SD Saxena, finance director, said BSNL wanted to offload a stake of 5-10 per cent in a deal that it claims would value the company at about $100bn. That could make the transaction India’s biggest flotation.