Indian state-run telecoms firm Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) has bid for Millicom's Sri Lankan operations, the chairman of the Indian firm said on Wednesday.

Chairman Kuldeep Goyal did not provide further details on BSNL's bid. He was asked about whether BSNL had bid at a media conference called for another matter.

Millicom has put its assets in Sri Lanka, Laos and Cambodia up for sale, and expects to complete the deals by the first quarter of 2010.

UAE's Emirates Telecommunications Corp ETEL.AD (Etisalat) on Monday said it had bid for the Sri Lankan assets.

BSNL has said it was open to expanding overseas, and was considering an invitation to join a consortium that is buying a 46 percent stake in Kuwaiti telecoms firm Zain.

Goyal also declined to comment on Zain deal. On Tuesday, he told Reuters it was still under consideration.

BSNL, which has cash reserves of over $6 billion, would need the government's nod to make any big investment.

(Reporting by Devidutta Tripathy)

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