India and the UK have signed a telecom services agreement as part of their broader free trade deal, the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), paving the way for mutual, non-discriminatory market access in the telecom sector.
The agreement includes provisions for key areas such as spectrum allocation, interconnection, and mobile number portability, enabling cross-border telecom players to expand operations more freely. It also mandates that radio spectrum for public telecom services be allocated in an open and transparent manner, encouraging fair competition.
A significant clause ensures that major telecom operators in either country must provide non-discriminatory access to infrastructure and resources for foreign operators, treating them on par with domestic subsidiaries. This move could open up fresh opportunities for Indian telecom firms to operate in the UK market, and vice versa.
