Leading publishing house Penguin India is exploring possibilities to expand business to Pakistan and

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Middle East countries with plans to publish about 240 books in the current year.

"Recently, we have started our operations in China and Korea and in Singapore in 2001. Now we are looking to expand our business in Pakistan and Middle East countries," Penguin India CEO and President Mike Bryan told PTI.

He, however, declined to give any possible time-frame for starting the company's operations in these countries.

The publishing house, which brings out about 200 books each year, is, currently, witnessing a sales growth of about 22 per cent, he said.

"We publish around 200 books every year, but we have always had a 10 per cent increase in the number books each year. So we are trying to maintain it and take it up to 240 books this year," he said.

Though the overall sale of Penguin's books in India is negligible compared with that on the UK and the US, Bryan said India has witnessed a "tremendous growth" in the last 4-5 years.

He attributes this growth to expansions in the retail business, opening of more bookshops and also big malls and showrooms.

"Penguin's books are available in around 1,000 stores across the country and 20-50 shops are opened every year. So with such an increase, we expect a decent growth in our business too," he added.