Sony India on Tuesday said it is eyeing 25 per cent sales growth this fiscal to over Rs 900 crore (Rs 9 billion) and will unveil several new internationally-renowned products, including Vaio notebook PCs, in the country soon.

However, the company expressed its inability to lower prices for Indian consumers, saying it was a "green partner" worldwide which made it necessary to import many environment friendly components and this in turn, raised manufacturing costs, making it almost impossible to lower MRPs.

Sony products are, on an average, 15-20 per cent more expensive than their closest competitors.

"Sony is expecting about 25 per cent sales growth this fiscal; we did Rs 750 crore (Rs 7.50 billion) in 2002-03...however, we need to more than double our current market share. We are now trying to reposition the brand as a lifestyle statement," Keiichi Sakamoto, managing director of the company, told PTI in New Delhi.

Sakamoto said the company was now consciously targeting the middle and upper rich segments of consumer electronics buyers, which, he said, number between 600,000 to 10 lakh (1 million) households.

He said the company was planning to launch its notebook PC called Vaio in India by April but unlike competing brands Vaio would be positioned for the home user.

"Vaio is not meant for office use. The version we are planning to bring in India should cost between $1,500-2,000 and is targeted at the home user. It is meant for clicking family photos, for downloading your favourite music and other such activities of personal and family interest," he said.

The company has already received government's approval for undertaking cash and carry wholesale trading in India for a whole range of hi-tech products including LCD and Plasma Wega, Net MD Walkman, Vaio, Playstation and battery chargers.

Sakamoto also unveiled the 37th Sony World showroom -- an exclusive outlet showcasing a whole range of Sony products -- in Gurgaon on Tuesday.

"Under the market expansion plan, we shall be according special care to the retail outlets called Sony World, which is our key brand. Sony World provides the company a new communication channel with its trade partners, " he added.