British firm picoChip will help India's roll-out of the fourth generation (4G) telephony in association with the Mumbai-based Rancore Technologies.

The picoChip-Rancore partnership was among four multi- million pound business deals between Indian and British firms announced here today, coinciding with the visit of Prime Minister David Cameron.

Bath-based picoChip has been selected for the development of 4G base stations for rolling out next-generation wireless telecom networks in India.

"India is a country where you don't have to be a multinational to succeed. We have superb UK companies operating here in partnership with Indian firms, and I would encourage more UK firms to explore the opportunities here," the UK Business Secretary Vince Cable said here.

India's government-owned BSNL and MTNL have already stated the third generation (3G) wireless telephony, while the private sector firms are expected to begin it within this year. The country, would then be poised for the fourth generation network.

A London-based architecture firm Benoy has been chosen for three major projects in Mumbai and Bangalore for a fee of GBP 1.6 million, including retail centre on the Expressway to Bangalore Airport.

Griffon Hoverwork, a Southampton-based manufacturer, has won a GBP 34 million contract to sell hovercraft to the Indian coastguard.

Besides, London-based business processing firm Xchanging has signed a pact with the Karnataka government to build a 2,000-seat processing centre on a five-acre site in a new special economic zone (SEZ).