"BNP is looking at expanding the corporate business activities by opening more branches and introducing better computerisation and also proposes to establish a primary dealership company with a paid up capital of Rs 50 crore. We plan to be a major player in Asia's third largest sovereign debt market," BNP chief executive and regional manager Jonathan David Lyon said in Calcutta on Thursday.

He said the BNP, which enjoyed its presence in India since 1860 when its first branch was opened in Calcutta, had added seven more branches in as many cities during the last five years and planned to open three more in the next two years in smaller cities.

BNP had recorded a net profit of Rs 22 crore for the year 1998-99, registering a 23 per cent jump innet from 1997-98. The last fiscal also saw BNP's deposit base climbing to about Rs 1,200 crore.

"The bank earned its uniqueness by totally aboloshing its burden from the non-performing assets due to a very focussed selection of clientale.

Two-third of our business comes from corporate banking and the remaining comprises private and other banking. BNP now plans to set up about 25 ATM's in different parts of the country," Lyon said. About the retail banking business, he added that the bank expects a healthy 20 per cent growth in about three years time which would also lead to at least 20 per cent increase in the total income of the bank.