&w=3840&q=100)
Why India will be the data capital of the world in five years
Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said that the telecom subscriber base in India has expanded from 800 million a decade ago to 1.2 billion this year, a level where India is now the second largest mobile market read more
Indian telecom minister has projected that the country is poised to become the data capital of the world within next five years. Source: PTI
Indian telecom minister has projected that the country is poised to become the data capital of the world within next five years. While speaking at the CII Annual Business Summit 2025 on Thursday (May 29), Jyotiraditya Scindia said that India is leading a digital-first economy, with the telecom revolution being the driving force.
'India, I believe, in the next five years, will become the data capital of the world,' Scindia said.
The minister informed that the telecom subscriber base in India has expanded from 800 million a decade ago to 1.2 billion this year, a level where India is now the second largest mobile market.
He added that the broadband base in the country has also grown to 940 million.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
The minister highlighted how connectivity costs have fallen drastically over the past decade, recalling days when tariffs were as high as Rs 16 per minute.
'When we talk about data, 11 years ago, 1 GB of data would cost you Rs 287. Today, 1 GB of data costs you Rs 9. There is a 97 per cent reduction in the cost of communication,' Scindia was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
The minister concluded by stating that India's cost of data communication is currently just 5 per cent of the global average.
Sanchar Mitra Scheme
Meanwhile, the government has also launched the Sanchar Mitra Scheme, which aims to improve the connection between the telecom industry and everyday citizens.
When asked about whether satellite communication service would be available in India, Scindia said it was up to telecom companies to decide how to go about it after they get necessary permission from the government.
He emphasised that the government's role is to issue these licenses as long as the companies meet specific requirements. Currently, two companies have already qualified, and a third is close to qualifying.
Scindia reaffirmed the government's commitment to granting licenses to companies that comply with the rules. He also mentioned that once companies receive the necessary spectrum to operate their services, they must chart their own course based on the regulations set by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
15 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Trader held for availing ITC worth Rs 15.19 cr by submitting fake invoices
A textile trader has been arrested by the Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI) in Surat for allegedly submitting fake invoices of Rs 100 crore to avail Input Tax Credit worth Rs 15.19 crore. According to DGGI sources, the accused, arrested on Friday has been identified as Yatin Dudhat, a resident of Varachha, who runs textile business by the name of Dudhat International in Surat. Dudhat allegedly received fake invoices from different firms without any supply of goods. The officials had earlier raided his office and business place in Surat and recovered several incriminating documents. Dudhat has violated the provision of sections of 132 of Central Goods and Services Tax, Act, 2017, an official said. Sources said that the name of Dudhat cropped during a probe following the arrest of Chetan Patoliya, proprietor of Kunj Fashion, Surat. On Saturday, Yatin Dudhat was produced before Chief Judicial Magistrate court of Judge R M Kalotara. He was sent to 14 days judicial custody at Surat Central jail by court. DGGI sources added, they had carried out a search operation at Kunj Fashion, on May 2. During investigation, the officials found Patoliya's involvement in availing the Input Tax Credit of around Rs 12 crores, with the help of fake invoices of sales and purchase of goods. Patoliya in his statements to DGGI had mentioned that he had passed on (sold) ITC to different firms – including Infinity Impex, Salton Impex, Manya Overseas and Shreeji exports, without supply of goods – in Surat. The DGGI is currently carrying out a probe in this case and are collecting the details of the firms that had received ITC from Kunj Fashion and Dudhat International.
Indian Express
15 minutes ago
- Indian Express
New plant to cost over Rs 3,000 crore BMC floats fresh tender to construct desalination plant at Manori
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has once again floated a global tender for constructing a 200-million litres per day (MLD) desalination plant in Mumbai's Manori island. The comes eight months after the civic body scrapped the previous tender which was floated in December 2023. A desalination plant is a facility where the saline water from the sea is scientifically treated by removing the salt extracts and mineral from it to make them fit for potable usage. Globally, desalination plants are popular in countries like Israel which have minimum access to natural potable water like rivers and lakes but are close to the sea. Civic officials said the new tenders were floated following a project feasibility study that was carried out by the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) identifying some of the key causes because of which the tender failed to attract a good number of bidders. Speaking to the Indian Express, Abhijit Bangar, additional municipal commissioner (projects), said the previous tender was floated by using the Swiss challenge method under which an initial proposal is published based on the bids submitted by a particular party following which other parties are invited to submit counter-proposals that either match or improve upon it. 'The first tender was live for nearly a year and we had called for bids three times out of which we received response only once and that one bidder later got disqualified. Following this, we carried out a survey and the new tenders are being floated by using the conventional engineering-procurement and consultancy (EPC) method which is the usual way through which all interested bidders can submit their bids at the same time which is followed by the evaluation process,' Bangar told Express. According to the previous tender, the estimated cost of constructing the plant was pegged at Rs 2,000 crore while Bangar said the base price of constructing the plant as part of the new tender is being pegged at Rs 3,000-Rs 3,200 crore. He also said the capacity and most of the technical specifications of the plant remains the same in the new tender. 'The reason for cost escalation is that the new plan will include three underground tunnels–two of which will bring in sea water to the plant for treatment and one tunnel will serve as an outfall for the treated inert materials that will be left following the treatment. This process will involve electrical and mechanical interventions due to which there has been a cost escalation. The final cost estimates were prepared and calculated by the consultant only after checking quotations from prospective agencies that have expertise in the field,' Bangar said. He also added that the water into the plant will be drawn 2.5 km from the shoreline where the sea is deep. The plant will come up in a 12-hectare plant at Manori village which is a fishing hamlet in northern fag end of Mumbai. The plot where the plant will come up is owned by the state government and civic officials said the process of transferring the land to the BMC is in the final stage. The proposal of constructing a desalination plant was first mooted in 2019 as a solution to counter the issue of growing water demand in Mumbai which requires 4,250 MLD of water daily while the civic body is able to serve only 3,900 MLD, making a deficit of 300 MLD. This will be the first desalination plant in Maharashtra. At present, Mumbai is dependent on seven lakes–Tulsi, Vihar, Tansa, Bhatsa, Modak Sagar, Upper Vaitarna, Middle Vaitarna which are located in suburban Mumbai, Thane, Palghar and Nashik. The catchment area of these lakes gets filled during the monsoon following which water is transferred to Mumbai's pockets through pipelines and tunnels.
Mint
17 minutes ago
- Mint
PKL Season 12 Auction: Mohammadreza Shadloui, Devank Dalal fetch big money - list of key players sold on opening day
The Pro Kabaddi League season 12 auction is happening in Mumbai. Day 1 of the auction has seen some high-octane moments. Iran's Mohammadreza Shadloui, the first name in the action, was bought by Gujarat Giants for a whopping Rs. 2.23 crore. Mohammadreza Shadloui's all-round efforts helped Haryana Stealers to win their maiden PKL title in Season 11. Shadloui won an impressive 139 total points. Equally effective in attack and defense, he amassed 57 raid points and 82 tackle points across 24 matches. Bengaluru Bulls and Patna Pirates fought aggressively before Gujarat Giants swooped in and bought the Iranian. Devank Dalal, the last name in the A category, fetched Rs. 2.205 crore from Bengal Warriorz. Patna Pirates retained Ankit Jaglan for Rs. 1.573 crore using the FBM card for one season. FBM (Final Bid Match) card: Teams can retain a player for either one or two seasons to support long-term team building and greater team continuity. Previously, the FBM rule allowed teams to retain a player for only one season. Player Team Role Amount Mohammadreza Shadloui Chiyaneh Gujarat Giants All-rounder Rs. 2.23 cr Devank Dalal Bengal Warriorz Raider Rs. 2.205 cr Ashu Malik Dabang Delhi Raider Rs. 1.90 cr Ankit Jaglan Patna Pirates All-rounder Rs. 1.573 cr Arjun Deshwal Tamil Thalaivas Raider Rs. 1.405 cr Yogesh Bijender Dahiya Bengaluru Bulls Defender Rs. 1.125 cr Guman Singh UP Yoddhas Raider Rs. 1.073 cr All-rounder Pawan Sehrawat went to Tamil Thalaivas for 59.5 lakhs. Defender Fazal Atrachali went to Dabang Delhi for 30 lakhs.
