According to Dr Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, minister of state for Communications and minister of state for Rural Development, the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for telecom equipment has led to investments worth Rs 40 billion and generated over Rs 800 billion in cumulative sales so far.
The minister credited the swift deployment of 5G networks to the government’s forward-looking spectrum management strategy. He also highlighted the role of the Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF) in fostering indigenous R&D and innovation. He further pointed out that this shift has enabled India to emerge as a creator of telecom technologies rather than a mere consumer or importer. He remarked that the conversation has evolved from ‘made for India’ to ‘made by India’.
India has also significantly ramped up domestic mobile phone manufacturing, reducing dependency on imports. He cited industry reports indicating that India now accounts for 15 per cent of global iPhone production.
Looking ahead, Pemmasani said the country’s next focus areas include establishing leadership in 6G technology, bringing satellite broadband connectivity to every village, and becoming a global hub for artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductor production.
Furthermore, Pemmasani addressed the status of Starlink’s entry into the Indian market and said that the approval process for the company is complex but nearing completion. However, he clarified that Starlink is expected to play only a supplementary role in India’s connectivity landscape, with traditional telecom operators continuing to dominate the sector.
He further underlined the importance of the recently issued satcom security regulations, noting their urgency amid current security concerns.
