Japanese Linux (Overview, Articles, Company) vendor Turbolinux plans to establish a joint-venture company in India in order to expand its presence in that country, the company said Tuesday.

Turbolinux India will be a joint venture between Turbolinux and India Action Plan and will be based in Gurgaon City, India. Turbolinux will hold a 55 percent stake in the venture, which will be capitalized with 27.2 million rupees ($615,000), it said.

The new company is expected to commence operations in April and will employ a staff of 15 within the first year, Turbolinux said.

The Indian venture will play several roles. In addition to selling Turbolinux products to customers in India, the company will set up a global call center for English-speaking customers, establish a product development center, and provide IT support to Japanese companies that are new to the Indian market, Turbolinux said.

Two years ago, Turbolinux began positioning itself for expansion in India, providing core operating systems and applications through hardware vendors and resale partners. Since October 2005, Turbolinux and I.A.P. have undertaken strategic planning efforts to launch Turbolinux India. I.A.P., a software leader with offices in Japan and India is recognized for its pioneering embedded and enterprise solutions, and serves as a vital link for Japanese business interests in the Indian market.

Together with I.A.P., Turbolinux plans to fulfill its mission to become the preeminent force in open source software solutions throughout the world. Turbolinux India is planning to launch operations in April of 2006.