The Delhi Stock Exchange (DSE), which is planning to set up an electronic equity market on the lines of BSE and NSE, is in talks with four companies, including Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Financial Technologies India (FTIL), for business development and technology transfer.

FTIL has already picked up the permissible 5 per cent stake in the regional bourse.

"The tie-up will be purely on the basis of merit and there are four companies in the race, including FTIL, TCS and CMC, a subsidiary of TCS," sources close to the development told Business Standard.

DSE is open to diluting up to 5 per cent in a company other than FTIL, according to sources. Deutsche Bank is also reportedly looking at picking up a 5 per cent stake in DSE.

The Delhi-based exchange is also mulling derivatives trading and has sought the necessary permission from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi).

The exchange had successfully completed demutualisation last year. The four foreign investors who picked up stake in DSE included Mauritius-based Wilmette Holdings, Noor Financial Investment Company of Kuwait, Kuwait Privatisation Projects Holding and Ikarus Industrial Petroleum Company.

The regional stock exchanges, which lost their sheen long time ago, have begun to attract a growing interest from foreign and private players.