COAI today said Vodafone India CEO Marten Pieters has been elected as the new chairman and Airtel India CEO Gopal Vittal as the vice chairman of the telecom industry body at its annual general meeting.

COAI, which supports GSM telecom operators, telecom equipment vendors and solution providers, also designated its Executive Council for the new term at the meeting.

Pieters, in his address as the new chairman of COAI, said: “In the recent past, India’s growth story fuelled by the telecom sector has been going through a challenging policy and regulatory environment.”

“While the Industry is witnessing low profit margins, primarily due to high debt paid to finance 3G & BWA Auction held couple of years ago, the sector also underwent a series of unprecedented events and policy reversals. After years of uncertainty and policy paralysis, we are expecting a definitive roadmap for the telecom sector from the new government in the Centre,” Pieters said.