Govt Committed To Bridge Digital Divide, Boost Local Telecom Manufacturing: Jyotiraditya Scindia

(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, Sep 25 (IANS) Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Thursday said the government remains committed to bridging the digital divide, fostering innovation, and strengthening indigenous telecom manufacturing.

In a meeting with telecom service providers (TSPs) and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) advisory committee, the minister directed both TSPs and OEMs to work in close coordination with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) -- to provide actionable feedback within stipulated timelines.

He also stressed that upcoming initiatives like India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2025, the Telecom Manufacturing Zone (TMZ) in Gwalior and the Innovation Centre at Jabalpur will play a pivotal role in making India a global hub for telecom technology, services, and manufacturing.

During the deliberations, the minister noted that most pending issues raised earlier by TSPs had been resolved, particularly relating to cyber security, spam control, standards and technology interoperability.

Three critical items - digital divide, spectrum authorization, and business viability of fixed-line services -- remained under consideration, with stakeholders expected to provide responses to draft rules by October 6, 2025.

Matters relating to telemarketer regulations, license fee, and electricity power requirements are also under examination under the upcoming Telecom Policy framework.

On the OEM front, the minister recorded closure of issues concerning indigenous manufacturing, testing and certification timelines, and ease of doing business measures.

Four items remain pending, including cost structure parity with global peers, development of a partial-to-full domestic manufacturing ecosystem for import substitution, promotion of design-led manufacturing, and resolution of single-source component procurement challenges. Responses and policy inputs on these issues are expected by October 6.

Stakeholders Advisory Committees (SACs) have been constituted by the Minister of Communications to provide valuable inputs across the telecom ecosystem.

These advisory platforms enable structured two-way dialogue between government, industry, and innovators, ensuring inclusive and collaborative policy-making, according to the ministry.

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