According to Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister of Communications, Electronics and Information Technology and Railways, India is among the top three 5G ecosystems in the world. He emphasised that the country has witnessed the world’s fastest 5G rollout, with services available in more than 750 districts across the nation. He added that the country is emerging as a telecom technology developer, exporter and leader, and the world today is looking at the country with hope as 80 per cent of the equipment used in 5G is made in India. India-designed and manufactured telecom equipment are also exported to 72 countries now.
The minister also highlighted the crucial role that satellite communication technology will play in extending connectivity to remote and border areas. He stated that the integration of satellite communication will bridge the digital divide, ensuring that even the most isolated regions of the country have access to high-speed internet and digital services. Vaishnaw informed that the government will wait for the recommendation of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on the satellite spectrum allocation as it does not want to weaken the process through a shortcut.
Further, Vaishnaw said that 98 per cent of the mobile devices used in India are now manufactured domestically, underlining the government’s Aatnmanirbhar Bharat initiative. He noted that India would soon see the local production of gorilla glass, a crucial component for mobile devices used to protect displays. He said this would bolster the country’s position in the global mobile manufacturing industry. Additionally, Vaishnaw said that through the Semiconductor India Mission, the country aims to become a global hub for chip manufacturing. He said that there will be significant upcoming announcements regarding two to three semiconductor proposals, which could potentially lead to the establishment of semiconductor fabrication units in the country.
With regard to the overall telecom industry, Vaishnaw said that the sector has achieved several milestones in connectivity, affordability and standards. Citing the speedy roll-out of 5G services and the clear 6G vision, he concluded that the sector is going in the right direction now.
Apart from the telecom sector, Vaishnaw also touched upon the upcoming regulations under the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act. He said that rule-making is in process and the government will follow a 45-day public consultation which is expected to be done by 2023-end. The government will then get approval from the parliament to implement the act.
