"If there is a big opportunity which is value for money and synergies with our business, we will go for it (acquisition)," chief executive NR Narayana Murthy told reporters at the sidelines of the CII annual meeting here.

Quizzed on the choice of acquisition, he said it could be in the services sector or for a product which will provide the company suitable opportunity for customisation.

"Acquisition could be in India or abroad," he said adding, "I would be more comfortable with an acquisition in the United States." He parried further questions on the details. On the possibility of another round of employees stock option he said: "It (ESOP) will come up in the shareholders meeting."

The annual general meeting (AGM) of the company is scheduled for June 12.On the financial performance of the company during the current fiscal,he said, he was not in a position to make any "forward looking statement" as he was bound by the American Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) rules since the company had been listed on the Nasdaq.

Earlier in his keynote address at a session on `Managing in a new millenium' Murthy said if India had to grow in the next century, 20 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) has to come from exports. "In the next five years, exports has to grow 15 to 18 per cent from the current level of 8 to 9 per cent to achieve the desired growth," he added. Murthy said to compete in the global market, it was important to have knowledge on real time basis. In this context, Internet will be of great advantage. He said joint ventures will be key success for Indian companies to compete in the global market and predicted many Indian companies becoming multinationals.