New Delhi, June 12 -- New York-based MetLife is keen on acquiring a majority stake and operational control over its Indian insurance joint venture with Punjab National Bank, a strategy that the company has been pursuing since it entered the Indian market 25 years ago.

"Today we're just under 50%, and we're looking for a path to get above 50%. We'll continue to pursue, wherever it makes sense, getting to majority control," Lyndon Oliver, regional president of MetLife Asia, and non-executive chairman of PNB MetLife, said in an interview.

With the opening up of foreign investment limits, MetLife has steadily increased its stake from 26% to 49.73%. State-owned PNB is the other promoter, holding a 30% stake in PNB MetLife India Insurance Co ...