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Business Standard
27-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Connectivity is a constitutional duty, not commodity: Scindia to telcos
Telecom service providers must rethink providing connectivity not as a commodity but as a constitutional commitment keeping in mind key factors like affordability, availability, accessibility with blazing data speeds, Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Tuesday. While speaking at an event organised by internet service providers body ISPAI and government-backed Nixi, the minister said five days ago India has moved from being the 5th largest economy in the world to become the 4th largest, and he takes pride in representing telecom which is growing at compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14 to 16 per cent as well as with the CAGR of 12-13 per cent in northeast. "You are the engineers of equity. You are the builders of bridges. And you are the keepers of the digital flame of India. Reimagine connectivity not necessarily as a commodity but a constitutional commitment," the minister said. He asked telecom operators and internet service providers (ISP) to follow six foundational pillars for connectivity, which are affordability, availability, accessibility, quality, safety and focus on emerging technologies such as AI and IoT. The minister said that in India, where 1 GB of data used to cost Rs 287, at present costs only about Rs 9. "At 11 cents, India is the cheapest data provider in the world today. The average global cost is USD 2.59," Scindia said. He said that if data is liquid gold or black oil, then India is the home of that liquid gold and black oil. "There is no reason why India should not be the data capital of the world. The prime minister has very clearly said that if this is India's century, and it truly is India's century, India has grown in one decade from the 11th largest economy in the world to the 5th largest economy in the world," the minister said. He asked internet service providers to leverage rural broadband project Bharatnet to expand connectivity across the country. The minister said that the National Broadband Mission with Rs 1,39,000 crore worth of investment is the largest governmental investment in the world that will provide a network to each and every village across the length and breadth of the country. "The prime minister has resolved that through NBM 2.0, we must connect every single village, but not only every single village, we must connect every single school. And we must connect every single hospital. Because it is our fiduciary responsibility," Scindia said. He said NBM 2.0 will ensure 95 per cent uptime of the broadband network and a minimum of 100 Mbps speed across the whole network.
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Reimagine connectivity not as commodity but as constitutional commitment: Union minister Jyotiraditya to telcos
Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia emphasized that telecom providers should view connectivity not just as a commodity, but as a constitutional commitment, focusing on affordability, availability, accessibility, quality, safety, and emerging technologies like AI and IoT. Speaking at an ISPAI and Nixi event, he highlighted India's rapid economic growth and telecom sector's strong CAGR, especially in the northeast. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Telecom service providers must rethink providing connectivity not as a commodity but as a constitutional commitment keeping in mind key factors like affordability, availability, accessibility with blazing data speeds, Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Tuesday. While speaking at an event organised by internet service providers body ISPAI and government-backed Nixi, the minister said five days ago India has moved from being the 5th largest economy in the world to become the 4th largest, and he takes pride in representing telecom which is growing at compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14 to 16 per cent as well as with the CAGR of 12-13 per cent in northeast."You are the engineers of equity. You are the builders of bridges. And you are the keepers of the digital flame of India. Reimagine connectivity not necessarily as a commodity but a constitutional commitment," the minister asked telecom operators and internet service providers (ISP) to follow six foundational pillars for connectivity, which are affordability, availability, accessibility, quality, safety and focus on emerging technologies such as AI and minister said that in India, where 1 GB of data used to cost Rs 287, at present costs only about Rs 9."At 11 cents, India is the cheapest data provider in the world today. The average global cost is USD 2.59," Scindia said that if data is liquid gold or black oil, then India is the home of that liquid gold and black oil."There is no reason why India should not be the data capital of the world. The prime minister has very clearly said that if this is India's century, and it truly is India's century, India has grown in one decade from the 11th largest economy in the world to the 5th largest economy in the world," the minister asked internet service providers to leverage rural broadband project Bharatnet to expand connectivity across the minister said that the National Broadband Mission with Rs 1,39,000 crore worth of investment is the largest governmental investment in the world that will provide a network to each and every village across the length and breadth of the country."The prime minister has resolved that through NBM 2.0, we must connect every single village, but not only every single village, we must connect every single school. And we must connect every single hospital. Because it is our fiduciary responsibility," Scindia said NBM 2.0 will ensure 95 per cent uptime of the broadband network and a minimum of 100 Mbps speed across the whole network.
Economic Times
23-05-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
Northeast region offers USD 100 billion data centre opportunity: MoS Telecom
The Northeast region offers an opportunity to harbour USD 100 billion data centre opportunity due to its cool climate and potential for renewable energy solutions, minister of state for telecom Pemmasani Chandra Shekhar said on Friday. While speaking at Rising North East Investors Summit 2025, the minister said that under the regime of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, there have been investments of Rs 1.5 lakh crore in the last 10 years in digital and physical infrastructure in the region, especially more than Rs 50,000 crore has gone into the rural broadband project Bharatnet. "Given the cool climate and the possible renewable energy solutions, there is a USD 100 billion data centre opportunity in the northeastern region," Shekhar said. He said that though other regions may have better infrastructure, people and entrepreneurs in the northeast have imagination and a lot more creativity given the nature and living conditions in the region. The minister said that the northeast region has seen a sea change in the last 10 years. "Today, more than 90 per cent of the north-eastern region is covered by 4G, more than 70-80 per cent is 5G covered, almost 80 per cent of the rural households are covered with Bharatnet via fibre-optic network, and there are more than 80 parks operational in Guwahati, Shillong and Agartala, and there are hyperscale data centres, one being the Asia's largest is in Assam," Shekhar said. He said that the government has started working with the 6G mission, quantum communications and satellite networks, so that every rural and remote area gets connected with high-quality and high-speed internet. "Infrastructure is only the hardware, the real story lies in the software, that is the people of northeast. This region boasts one of India's most literate, English-speaking and digitally inclined youth populations," the minister said. He said that the northeastern region has 200-plus languages with diverse cultural traditions, and it is important that we preserve and protect and promote all these cultural heritage. "We can build some of the best multi-lingual AI systems, creating digital archives of our folk songs, stories and traditional knowledge. This positions north-east India as the global leader in cultural AI applications," Shekhar said. He said that the northeast shares borders with countries like China, Bangladesh, Myanmar etc. and it can take the advantage of being on the border to build cutting edge security AI systems, smart border monitoring, using AI-powered cameras and sensors that can revolutionise national security while providing thousands of high-tech jobs.
Time of India
23-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Northeast region offers USD 100 billion data centre opportunity: MoS Telecom
The Northeast region offers an opportunity to harbour USD 100 billion data centre opportunity due to its cool climate and potential for renewable energy solutions, minister of state for telecom Pemmasani Chandra Shekhar said on Friday. While speaking at Rising North East Investors Summit 2025, the minister said that under the regime of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, there have been investments of Rs 1.5 lakh crore in the last 10 years in digital and physical infrastructure in the region, especially more than Rs 50,000 crore has gone into the rural broadband project Bharatnet. "Given the cool climate and the possible renewable energy solutions, there is a USD 100 billion data centre opportunity in the northeastern region," Shekhar said. He said that though other regions may have better infrastructure, people and entrepreneurs in the northeast have imagination and a lot more creativity given the nature and living conditions in the region. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Villas In Dubai | Search Ads Get Rates Undo The minister said that the northeast region has seen a sea change in the last 10 years. "Today, more than 90 per cent of the north-eastern region is covered by 4G, more than 70-80 per cent is 5G covered, almost 80 per cent of the rural households are covered with Bharatnet via fibre-optic network, and there are more than 80 parks operational in Guwahati, Shillong and Agartala, and there are hyperscale data centres, one being the Asia's largest is in Assam," Shekhar said. Live Events He said that the government has started working with the 6G mission, quantum communications and satellite networks, so that every rural and remote area gets connected with high-quality and high-speed internet. "Infrastructure is only the hardware, the real story lies in the software, that is the people of northeast. This region boasts one of India's most literate, English-speaking and digitally inclined youth populations," the minister said. He said that the northeastern region has 200-plus languages with diverse cultural traditions, and it is important that we preserve and protect and promote all these cultural heritage. "We can build some of the best multi-lingual AI systems, creating digital archives of our folk songs, stories and traditional knowledge. This positions north-east India as the global leader in cultural AI applications," Shekhar said. He said that the northeast shares borders with countries like China, Bangladesh, Myanmar etc. and it can take the advantage of being on the border to build cutting edge security AI systems, smart border monitoring, using AI-powered cameras and sensors that can revolutionise national security while providing thousands of high-tech jobs.
Time of India
23-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Centre invests ₹1.5 lakh crore in northeast India's physical, digital infra: Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani
NEW DELHI: The Prime Minister Narendra Modi government has invested ₹1.5 lakh crore over the past 10 years in northeast India's physical and digital infrastructure under the ' Act East Policy ', Minister of State for Communications Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani said on Friday. 'Over ₹1.5 lakh crore has been invested across digital and physical infrastructure in the region. Out of this ₹50,000 crore has gone specifically into BharatNet and the Digital North East Vision,' Pemmasani said in his keynote address at the Rising Northeast Investors Summit 2025 event. The minister said that more than 90% of northeast India is now covered by 4G networks, while 80% of the rural households in the region are digitally connected via optical fibre cable. 'Modern IT parks are operational in Guwahati, Shillong, and Agartala, catalysing job creation and innovation. Hyperscale data centres, including Asia's largest, will be set up in Assam,' Pemmasani said. The minister recalled that the government is providing a much-needed policy support, beyond infrastructure, to help industry establish in this region and tap the local talent pool. 'It has launched ambitious programs such as Digital India , Bharatnet, Startup India, National AI Strategy, 5G rollout to create a launchpad for industry in the region,' Pemmasani said. 'This synergy of centre-state collaboration, a hallmark of governance since 2014, is transforming the NER (northeast region) into a digital powerhouse,' the minister added, saying that the region is witnessing the convergence of policy, infrastructure and talent. According to Pemmasani, the application of artificial intelligence (AI) and 5G is no longer theoretical in the Northeast, and the technologies are being deployed to solve real-life issues. The minister said that in Andhra Pradesh, a 5G telemedicine network is facilitating real-time consultationsm, while in Tripura, the 'Bhashini' initiative is making governance accessible in 22 languages through real-time AI translation Pemmasani stated optimistically that more can be done with AI, such as the digitisation of all government services, including land records, while 5G can support the delivery of global resources and virtual laboratories to students. 'At the same time, Kaziranga and Sikkim can offer immersive AR experiences, showcasing our beauty to millions through virtual tour,' he added. Currently, India's top telecom incumbents -- Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel -- provide a nationwide coverage of fifth-generation (5G) networks. Earlier in the day, Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) Chairman & Managing Director Mukesh Ambani said at the event that Reliance Jio has already covered 90% of the population with over 5 million 5G subscribers in northeast India, and will double the number this year. 'Jio's priority will be to bring the revolutionary power of Artificial Intelligence to all schools, hospitals, enterprises and homes. When talent meets technology and competence meets connectivity, our North-East will surge ahead,' Ambani said, adding that Reliance has invested around ₹30,000 crore in the region in the past 40 years. The oil-to-telecoms conglomerate, in the next five years, will more than double its investments in the northeast, with a target of ₹75,000 crore.
