The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), organised a national workshop focused on accelerating the adoption of circular economy practices within India’s telecom sector.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Communications, the workshop brought together policymakers, industry leaders, technology providers, academics, international organisations and other stakeholders across the value chain to explore pathways for making the telecom industry more sustainable, resource-efficient and environmentally responsible.
Deliberations centred on reimagining the telecom supply chain to enhance circularity, covering aspects such as sustainable design, reuse and harvesting of components, responsible procurement practices and policy measures needed to address existing bottlenecks. Participants also discussed ongoing government initiatives promoting circular practices and the industry’s role in adopting solutions that can be scaled effectively.
Further, officials and experts shared perspectives from the Central Pollution Control Board on leveraging digital systems for more effective monitoring, along with the use of data analytics to enable improved decision-making across the telecom value chain.
The concluding session emphasised that India’s telecom sector needs to move from dialogue to execution. Participants underscored the importance of coordinated, ecosystem-wide action, supported by an enabling policy framework and stronger collaboration among multiple stakeholders.
The workshop concluded with a call for shared responsibility in driving the transition, with the government providing strategic direction and supportive conditions, industry leading innovation and adoption, and partners contributing through implementation support, capacity building and financing, to embed circular economy principles across India’s rapidly growing telecom sector.
