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NDTV
4 hours ago
- Business
- NDTV
Musk's Starlink To Get Licence Soon? What Jyotiraditya Scindia Told NDTV
New Delhi: Emphasising that satellite communications is of immense importance in India, Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has indicated that the country is eager to welcome players like Elon Musk's Starlink. Speaking exclusively to NDTV Profit on Tuesday, Mr Scindia was asked about the possibility of Starlink getting a licence and what it brings to the table from an Indian telecommunications sector perspective. The minister said he is "company agnostic and customer centric". "Just like in civil aviation, or in the telecom service provider space, or in the ISP space or the fixed wireless access space, my job is to ensure that I provide choice to the consumer. And India is ready for SATCOM service delivery. All players across the world are welcome. As long as they comply with our regulations, they check the boxes and are ready to perform business in India, all are welcome in India," he said. Pointing out that satellite connectivity as a service has immense potential and immense need in any country, including India, he said there are two key reasons for this: providing connectivity in areas that wouldn't get it otherwise, and because of how useful they are in times of calamities. "There are certain areas across the globe which cannot be provided telephony through either RAN (Radio Access Network) towers, or through OFC (Optical Fibre Cable) being laid or through broadband. In those hostile terrains, the only option is to give connectivity through satellite. And, today, telephony and connectivity is not only a means of empowerment of communication, it's a means of empowerment of livelihood. And, therefore, it is our fiduciary responsibility to be able to provide that," he said. "Second, in the times of natural calamity, and this has been proven again and again and again, satellite is the only recourse that humans have to be able to provide connectivity on a temporary basis. And therefore, in both those areas, satellite communications is extremely important. And we are eager to have that option in India for our customers as soon as possible," the telecom minister stressed. Mobile Duopoly? To a question on whether India is going to see a duopoly in terms of mobile operators, Mr Scindia said India is one of the few countries in the world that has four players. "There are very few countries that can boast of four players that have a national network. And India stands out as a country that has four players. That is the status today, and I believe that should be the status going forward as well. Because my job is to make sure that the customers have choice," he said.
The Print
8 hours ago
- Business
- The Print
Elon Musk's Starlink to get licence to operate in India soon, says Jyotiraditya Scindia
'Currently, two companies—OneWeb and Reliance—have received licences for satellite connectivity. The process for Starlink is also nearly complete. The LOI has been issued. And I believe it (Starlink) will get the licence soon,' Scindia said. In an exclusive interview with ThePrint on Tuesday, Scindia said that the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) earlier issued a Letter of Intent (LOI) to Starlink. The final approvals are pending from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe). New Delhi: Elon Musk's satellite internet venture, Starlink, is 'almost licensed' to operate in India, Union Minister of Communications and Minister for Development of North Eastern Region Jyotiraditya Scindia has said. 'The next step involves securing approval from IN-SPACe. All three licence holders must undergo this process before beginning operations,' he added. In the meantime, Scindia said, OneWeb and Reliance received spectrum allocations on a 'minimal exploratory basis' to begin testing their services. Once licensed, Starlink will likely follow a similar path. 'After this, TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) will provide policy norms for administrative spectrum allocation, which will govern commercial rollout,' Scindia said. The minister emphasised that satellite internet would be vital to bridging India's last-mile connectivity gap, particularly in remote areas, where laying fibre optic cables or installing towers remained unviable. 'In India, there are many regions where no telecom tower can reach and laying OFC is impossible. Satellite is the only option there,' Scindia said. 'It is not about platform competition; it is about giving consumers a choice.' 'As the minister of communications, it is my responsibility to provide a bouquet of services to consumers. The choice of which to use must lie with them,' he added. Also Read: Airtel and Jio are welcoming Starlink to India. Is it a bid to get on Trump's good side? BharatNet 2.0: Expanding ground connectivity Scindia said the Modi government's Rs 1.39 lakh crore BharatNet 2.0 programme, which aimed to connect 2.5 lakh village panchayats and an additional 3.8 lakh villages on demand, would complement the space-based rollout. Key upgrades in the new phase include a shift from a linear to a ring topology, network downtime, and ensuring service redundancy. The project includes a 10-year OPEX (operating expenses) component alongside capital expenditure to ensure long-term sustainability. 'We have moved away from just CAPEX-focused design. Under the ring topology, even if one connection fails, the network reroutes itself. And with OPEX, maintenance becomes the service provider's responsibility,' he explained. 'BharatNet will now connect not just rural India to the nation but also to the world.' Operation Sindoor & national security On matters of national security, Scindia referenced recent military actions in Jammu and Kashmir under Operation Sindoor, asserting the prerogative to give a firm response to threats. 'Those who thought of wiping off the 'sindoor' of our sisters and mothers have been, themselves, wiped out,' he said, underscoring the assertive posture taken by the Modi government. India, he further said, had never believed in initiating conflict. 'But if innocent citizens are targets, the response to a brick will be with a stone,' he stated. Also Read: Musk's 'small man' spat with Polish minister bares widening US-Europe rift over Russia-Ukraine war Shashi Tharoor & 'India First' Doctrine Asked about the criticism of MP Shashi Tharoor within the Congress for his participation in an all-party delegation representing India abroad, Scindia said everyone should view the role of the delegation through the lens of national unity. 'Every person on that delegation went as an Indian. Difficulties arise when the country is not the priority. For some elements, their interests come first. In such cases, neither you nor I need to say anything—the people of India already have,' he said. Revival of BSNL & 5G roll-out Scindia credited the turnaround of BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited) to the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, along with the hard work of the BSNL employees. According to Scindia, the installation of 93,000 4G towers, out of a target of 1,00,000, is already complete. Once stabilised, these towers, using the same software core, will be upgraded to 5 G. 'I take no personal credit. The Prime Minister showed the vision, and the BSNL family delivered,' he said. Meanwhile, as of 1 January this year, MTNL was fully merged into BSNL and will now function as a shell entity for debt resolution and asset management. 'Operationally, MTNL (Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited) is under BSNL. We will negotiate and settle its debt with banks,' he said. Spam calls, cybersecurity & consumer protection The Union minister also outlined ongoing efforts to curb cyber fraud, spam calls, and mobile misuse. Scindia highlighted the blocking of 1.3 crore spoof calls in a single day over the last few months, along with the deactivation of more than three crore fake mobile connections and 25–30 lakh WhatsApp-linked numbers suspected of misuse. He also reported the launch of a new telecom consumer portal and app to report stolen phones, SIM misuse, and cloned accounts. 'Our responsibility is to ensure both connectivity and safety. Technology must empower—not endanger—our citizens,' Scindia added. (Edited by Madhurita Goswami) Also Read: How should India respond to Trump tariff? Raghav Chadha has an idea involving Starlink
Business Upturn
21 hours ago
- Business
- Business Upturn
Jefferies maintains ‘Buy' on Finolex Cables, sees strong housing & construction play
Jefferies has reiterated a Buy rating on Finolex Cables with a target price of ₹1,235, viewing the company as a strong play on India's housing and construction growth. Q4FY25 results beat estimates slightly, with sales up 14% YoY. After taking a 12–13% price hike in FY25, the company implemented another small price increase in late May 2025. Jefferies expects a robust opportunity in Optical Fiber Cable (OFC) through BharatNet, while the ongoing 5G rollout and data center expansion will further drive the Communication segment. The brokerage estimates a +19% PAT CAGR over FY25–28, along with a +370bps RoCE expansion. Disclaimer: The views and target prices mentioned in this article are as stated by Jefferies. They do not represent the opinions or recommendations of this publication. Readers are advised to consult their financial advisors before making any investment decisions. Markets Desk at
Medscape
27-05-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Food Ladders Safe for High-Risk Children With Food Allergies
TOPLINE: New research showed that the five-step cow's milk ladder and the four-step egg ladder were safe and effective methods of reintroducing milk and egg in high-risk children with immunoglobulin E (IgE)–mediated cow's milk allergy (CMA) and/or hen's egg allergy (HEA). METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a closely monitored study between January 2022 and August 2024 and recruited 29 high-risk children with IgE-mediated CMA and/or HEA (mean age, 36.14 months; 62% boys). IgE-mediated food allergy was confirmed by positive results for milk and/or egg on either an oral food challenge (OFC), a milk-/egg-specific IgE test, and/or a skin prick test. To see if children develop tolerance to baked counterparts of the raw allergen, researchers introduced baked milk or egg in the form of muffins during OFCs in hospital settings. Subsequent steps of the food ladders were carried out at home in most cases, using gradual reintroduction of more allergic forms. The primary outcome was the number of children having a negative result on an OFC, with successful tolerance of 120-240 mL of raw pasteurized or modified cow's milk or one soft-boiled or lightly scrambled egg. TAKEAWAY: Overall, 33% of the evaluated children developed tolerance to unheated cow's milk within 6-34 months after the first OFC — with 80% developing tolerance within 18 months — while 13% developed tolerance to soft-boiled or lightly scrambled egg 11-17 months after the first OFC. Inconsistent reintroduction led to loss of tolerance in two cases. Parental concerns led to temporary withdrawal in one case, but tolerance was reconfirmed. None of the children developed an anaphylactic reaction during the OFC in hospital settings. IN PRACTICE: 'We suggest that regular monitoring of these children is essential to avoid prolonging the break period between…the steps of the food ladder and to monitor the regular daily introduction of tolerated forms of milk/egg,' the authors wrote. SOURCE: Agata Stróżyk, PhD, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland, was the corresponding author of the study, which was published online on May 22 in Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. LIMITATIONS: This study was retrospective in nature, had a small sample size, lacked established regular follow-up periods, and included children with a wide age range. DISCLOSURES: This study was fully funded by the Medical University of Warsaw. One author reported being a clinical investigator, an advisory board member, and a speaker for several pharmaceutical companies. Another author reported being a clinical investigator and a speaker for Nestle and receiving research support from Nutricia. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
Scoop
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Scoop
Fiji, New Caledonia And New Zealand Find Out Their Opponents For FIFA U-17 Men's World Cup
Press Release – Oceania Football Confederation The FIFA U-17 World Cup has been expanded to 48 teams with 12 groups of four. The top two teams in each group, along with the eight best third-placed sides, will qualify for the Round of 32. OFC champions New Zealand have been drawn in Group L alongside Mali, Austria and Saudi Arabia for the FIFA U-17 World Cup to be played in Qatar in November. Martin Bullock's side defeated Fiji in the final of the OFC U-16 Men's Championship in Tahiti last year. Fiji coached by Sunil Kumar, have been handed a difficult draw, pitted against South American powerhouse Argentina, European giants Belgium and North African side Tunisia. New Caledonia who finished third at the OFC U-16 Men's Championship to clinch Oceania's final spot, have also drawn some heavyweight opponents, facing Japan, Morocco and Portugal in Group B. The FIFA U-17 World Cup has been expanded to 48 teams with 12 groups of four. The top two teams in each group, along with the eight best third-placed sides, will qualify for the Round of 32. From the Round of 32 onwards, the tournament will be played in a knockout format. The tournament runs from the third to 27th November in Qatar.
