Nokia says India market share holds at 53 pct - report

HELSINKI (Reuters) - Nokia's market share in India held at 53 percent despite recent reports of battery explosions, an Indian news agency quoted Nokia's local marketing director as saying.

"There has been no drop in our sales in India. Use of fake batteries and chargers resulted in the explosions, for which Nokia is not responsible," Devinder Kishore told Press Trust of India.

Kishore told the agency Nokia, the world's top cellphone maker, continued to have a 53 percent market share in the country. Nokia's global market share is slightly below 40 percent.

Nokia warned in August 46 million batteries used in its phones, made by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd., could overheat and the company would replace them for no cost to consumers.

Nokia said in August 100 overheating cases of batteries in question had been reported globally.