In Short:
Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia is holding meetings with telecom and internet service providers to discuss sectoral issues and develop a new growth agenda. Key participants include CEOs of Bharti Airtel and HCL. Telecom companies may seek customs duty exemptions, suspension of USOF, and reduction of license fees. Scindia has also met with advisory groups on satellite communications and electronic manufacturing to address key issues like spectrum allocation and sector priorities. The government plans to revamp the PLI scheme to boost telecom equipment exports and involve more MSMEs. These discussions aim to foster government-industry collaboration for the telecom sector’s development.
Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia Holds Meetings to Discuss Telecom Sector Issues
Union Minister of Communications and Development of North Eastern Region, **Jyotiraditya Scindia**, is gearing up to meet with telecom service providers, internet service providers (ISPs), and academicians to address key sectoral issues. These discussions are part of the ongoing interactions within the six new advisory groups established by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to shape a fresh growth and development agenda.
Key Participants and Expected Advocacies
Among the prominent figures attending these discussions are **Gopal Vittal**, CEO of Bharti Airtel, **Ajai Chowdhry**, co-founder of HCL, and **R K Upadhyay**, CEO and chairman of Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT). Telecom companies are likely to push for customs duty exemptions on specific equipment, temporary suspension of the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), and a reduction in license fees from 3% to 1% as the national budget approaches.
Recent Meetings and Focus Areas
Prior to these upcoming discussions, Scindia has already engaged with three advisory groups covering satellite communications, the electronics ecosystem, and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The aim was to delve into issues concerning satellite communication, production-linked incentives (PLI), and telecom equipment.
The meeting with satcom stakeholders pinpointed 4-5 key issues for further deliberation in the next stakeholder gathering set for August 2024. Additionally, DoT is in the process of outlining terms of reference for satellite spectrum allocation to facilitate consultation by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), outlining critical aspects like methodology, frequencies, spectrum pricing, and national security terms.
Conversely, the session with private telecom electronics players emphasized setting sectoral priorities for market expansion in India. Scindia emphasized the importance of this platform in fostering collaboration between the government and industry in the telecom sector. The government is also planning to revamp the existing PLI scheme for the telecom sector to ramp up telecom equipment exports and involve more micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in telecom manufacturing.
