Apple plan to make India a manufacturing hub makes economic sense: Jyotiraditya Scindia
Live Events
Approval for Starlink is a complicated issue but is in the final stages, minister of state for communications Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani said Tuesday, adding that the Elon Musk-owned satcom company will at best play a minor role in providing connectivity in India as compared to traditional telecom companies."It is a little complicated issue (permit for Starlink). We have to look from multiple angles. Security is one of them. Definitely, since it is in the final stages, we will get back on that," Pemmasani said, while speaking on the sidelines of the Bharat Telecom event.He added that the security rules for satcom announced Monday night were crucial, especially in the present scenario where hostile nation Pakistan is making an attempt to hack the country's system.Speaking at the same event, telecom minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said that Apple has decided to move its entire mobile phone production to India in the coming years. He added that investment in the country makes economic sense for every original equipment manufacturer and isn't an act of goodwill."Apple has decided to source and produce all its mobile phones in India in the years to come," Scindia said. "When you invest in India, you are choosing affordability, you are choosing reliability, you are choosing originality."Speaking at the event, organised by the Telecom Equipment and Services Export Promotion Council in partnership with the Department of Telecommunications, Pemmasani said around 15% of global iPhone output now comes from India, highlighting the country's increasing participation in the global supply chain for the US-based technology firm Apple's products.Their remarks come after Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company would source the majority of iPhones sold in the US from India in the June quarter, in a bid to avoid the high tariffs imposed by the Donald Trump administration on shipments from China. Production in China will cater to iPhone sales in other regions.Scindia further said the Centre is preparing a $4-billion investment plan to connect every village in India with high-speed broadband to achieve 100% telecom connectivity saturation in remote regions. "Since June of last year, 17,000 towers out of a planned 27,000 towers have been set up in nearly 36,000 villages," the minister said. He added that 99% of India's villages have been connected by 5G within 22 months of rollout, with more than 470,000 towers set up with almost ₹4 lakh crore of investment.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
25 minutes ago
- Time of India
Pottery gains popularity among youth as creative outlet & stress relief
Pune: The world of ceramics and pottery is gaining popularity among youth as a creative outlet, combining art, sustainability and self-expression, offering a refreshing escape from their hectic lives. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now IT professional Dhaval Narvekar, a resident of Wanowrie, said, "Pottery is not easy and requires a lot of focus. It helps me de-stress. I enrol in regular workshops to learn different techniques of pottery and have created a small collection of my own." Camp resident Leena D'Souza said she was introduced to pottery at a flea market last year and has continued to pursue it since then. "There was a potter's wheel at one of the flea markets that I visited last year. I now attend regular classes at a pottery studio to pursue it as a full-time profession," she said. The tactile experience of working with clay, the joy of crafting functional and beautiful pieces, and the meditative quality of slow craftsmanship are attracting many young people to ceramics and pottery for its therapeutic benefits. Magarpatta-based ceramics artist Sneha Virwani said she has been holding hand-building pottery workshops for enthusiasts. "Working with stoneware clay, we create hand-pinched pottery that gives each piece a natural, unique shape. Often, it's the imperfections or cracks that add beauty to the pottery," Virwani said. Ceramics have diverse applications, from functional items like cups and plates to decorative wall hangings. Mumbai-based artist Dishaa Kapoor, founder of Matrika Pottery Studio, caters to enthusiasts aged 30-60. "Pottery is like meditation, helping you disconnect from routine. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now It combines art and science, requiring knowledge of materials, oxides, firing and glazing," she said. Increased accessibility has sparked youth interest in pottery and ceramics. Shibani Dhavalikar, a Kothrud-based ceramics artist, said, "Earlier, kiln access was a major hurdle, requiring significant investment. Now, we teach techniques like over-glaze decoration, where students learn to paint on ceramics and fire them to achieve desired results." Pune: The world of ceramics and pottery is gaining popularity among youth as a creative outlet, combining art, sustainability and self-expression, offering a refreshing escape from their hectic lives. IT professional Dhaval Narvekar, a resident of Wanowrie, said, "Pottery is not easy and requires a lot of focus. It helps me de-stress. I enrol in regular workshops to learn different techniques of pottery and have created a small collection of my own." Camp resident Leena D'Souza said she was introduced to pottery at a flea market last year and has continued to pursue it since then. "There was a potter's wheel at one of the flea markets that I visited last year. I now attend regular classes at a pottery studio to pursue it as a full-time profession," she said. The tactile experience of working with clay, the joy of crafting functional and beautiful pieces, and the meditative quality of slow craftsmanship are attracting many young people to ceramics and pottery for its therapeutic benefits. Magarpatta-based ceramics artist Sneha Virwani said she has been holding hand-building pottery workshops for enthusiasts. "Working with stoneware clay, we create hand-pinched pottery that gives each piece a natural, unique shape. Often, it's the imperfections or cracks that add beauty to the pottery," Virwani said. Ceramics have diverse applications, from functional items like cups and plates to decorative wall hangings. Mumbai-based artist Dishaa Kapoor, founder of Matrika Pottery Studio, caters to enthusiasts aged 30-60. "Pottery is like meditation, helping you disconnect from routine. It combines art and science, requiring knowledge of materials, oxides, firing and glazing," she said. Increased accessibility has sparked youth interest in pottery and ceramics. Shibani Dhavalikar, a Kothrud-based ceramics artist, said, "Earlier, kiln access was a major hurdle, requiring significant investment. Now, we teach techniques like over-glaze decoration, where students learn to paint on ceramics and fire them to achieve desired results."
Hindustan Times
30 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Delhi govt to set up transgender welfare board
The Delhi government on Saturday announced the establishment of a 'Transgender Welfare and Empowerment Board' in a first-of-its-kind initiative to ensure the dignity, rights, and opportunities for the transgender community in the Capital. Chief minister Rekha Gupta described the move as a reflection of inclusive governance in Delhi and asserted that the government is taking practical steps to uplift marginalised communities, the Delhi chief minister's office said in a statement. 'This is not merely a legal procedure, but a symbol of our unwavering commitment to ensure dignity, rights, and opportunities to the transgender community. This is a practical and powerful step towards building an empowered and 'Viksit Delhi'. Our government is committed to ensuring equal rights for all. The board will work on policy making, recommending welfare schemes, coordinating with various departments, and resolving grievances of the transgender community. It will also ensure timely issuance of identity certificates and ID cards. Now, transgender individuals will be able to self-declare their gender identity and obtain identity documents from the district magistrate,' the chief minister said. According to Delhi government officials, the board will be entrusted with key responsibilities, including policy formulation, recommendation of welfare schemes, coordination among departments, and grievance redressal for transgender persons. It will also play a vital role in ensuring the timely issuance of identity certificates and ID cards, enabling transgender individuals to self-declare their gender identity and obtain official documentation from their respective District Magistrates without bureaucratic hurdles. The government will roll out several supportive measures targeted specifically at the transgender community such as construction of third-gender toilets in government buildings, dedicated hospital wards and gender-specific healthcare services in government-run hospitals, ensuring that medical care is inclusive and sensitive, a transparent and online process for the issuance of transgender identity cards to reduce delays and promote accessibility, sensitisation and awareness campaigns across schools, colleges, and workplaces to address stigma and promote social acceptance; and employment training programmes, temporary shelters, and social security schemes tailored to the needs of the transgender population. The move has been hailed by activists and civil society organisations. 'This is a revolutionary step,' said a spokesperson from a Delhi-based LGBTQ+ rights organisation. 'It sets a precedent for other states to follow and shows that Delhi is serious about equality, not just in words but in action,' the spokesperson said.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
India seeks exemption from US' 10% baseline tariff
The fate of the 10% baseline tariffs that the Trump administration invoked on imports from all countries on April 2 is among the issues now at the heart of negotiations between New Delhi and Washington as they attempt to hammer out an early tranche of the trade deal, people aware of the matter have said. Delhi is not in favour of replicating, as suggested by the American negotiators, the approach in the trade deal struck between the US and the UK, where British goods are still subject to the baseline tariffs, these people added. According to a person with direct knowledge of the discussions, Indian negotiators are pushing for their American counterparts to remove the baseline 10% rate as well as commit to assurances that the additional 16%, due to be implemented on July 9, will be left off. An American negotiating team led by assistant US Trade Representative Brendan Lynch 4 landed in Delhi on June for what is the fifth time negotiators from either side have gone to the other's capital for face-to-face talks. The American delegation is expected to be in Delhi till June 10, longer than the previously expected two-day visit. ALSO READ | India-US trade negotiations hit top gear, American delegation extends Delhi stay 'Ideally, both the 10% baseline tariff on Indian goods and the additional 16% from July 9 must end simultaneously after an interim deal is signed. Else, India will also have rights to continue proportionately similar tariffs on American goods till the time the US withdraws the entire 26% reciprocal tariff,' one of them said, citing a joint statement by the two countries' leaders issued on February 13 in Washington. While expounding 'Mission-500' to double bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030 on February 13, the two leaders – Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump – in their joint statement mentioned the need for new 'fair-trade terms' that are 'mutually beneficial', the person said. A second person aware of the matter corroborated India's stance: 'Only a mutually beneficial deal would have a long life'. 'Both India and the US are sovereigns. One is the oldest democracy and the other is the largest democracy. While the US is the largest economy, India is the fastest growing major economy of the world. Hence, the deal must be balanced, equitable, fair and acceptable to their people,' the first person said. The second person added that India sees trade interests between both nations as being 'complementary and not competitive', hence New Delhi is open to giving greater market access to the American goods in the Indian market provided Washington reciprocates. 'The trade negotiations continue in New Delhi covering all these matters in a constructive manner as we speak and both sides are hopeful for a win-win,' he said. ALSO READ | Donald Trump claims India willing to cut 100% tariffs on US goods, 'but…' After UK industries faced American tariffs of 25% on all aluminium, steel and derivatives (announced on March 12), 25% tariff on passenger vehicles (announced on April 3), 25% tariff on automobile parts (beginning May 3), and a 10% baseline tariff on all imports (from April 5) – the UK and the US on May 8 announced an economic prosperity deal (EPD). The mini deal secured some concessions for the UK, but the 10% baseline tariff continued. Both partners are racing to conclude an interim, or regarded as an 'early harvest', deal before July 9, which will be followed by a wider first tranche of Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) by September-October 2025. After that a comprehensive BTA will be negotiated, they said. ALSO READ | How Donald Trump decided the tariff for India The current negotiations for an early harvest deal involve greater market access for goods by eliminating tariffs and non-tariff trade barriers, and improving supply chain integration, they said. The current New Delhi round is followed by a face-to-face negotiation between the two teams in the US. During that period, Union commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal was also in the US from May 17-22 where he held meetings with his counterparts, US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick and USTR Jamieson Greer.
