Minister

Hailing India for being an attractive investment destination for semiconductor technologies, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the country's own consumption of semiconductors is expected to cross $80 billion (roughly Rs. 6,10,910 crore) by 2026 and may touch $110 billion (roughly Rs.8,40,000 crore) by 2030.PM Modi said that the country is building a digital infrastructure to connect over 1.3 billion citizens."We are using digital technology to transform lives in all sectors of governance from health and welfare…

Brazilian Communications Minister Fábio Faria said on Friday that the government may schedule a new 5G spectrum auction to sell batches that did not attract interest, mainly in the 26GHz frequency.Brazil telecom regulator Anatel concluded an auction on Friday with Faria saying in a news conference that the sale raised a total of BRL 46.79 billion ($8.44 billion or roughly Rs. 62,600 crores) including future capital expenditure commitments, making it the largest auction of telecom assets to date in Latin America.Telecom…

Independence Day 2021 is being celebrated today, marking the 75th Independence Day for our nation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hoist the national flag at New Delhi's Red Fort and address the nation soon after. His Independence Day speech will begin after the flag hoisting ceremony. Public service broadcaster Doordarshan will telecast the speech live from the Red Fort. It will also be livestreamed online through multiple channels. Read on to see the Independence Day speech timings, live telecast, and livestreaming…

The government is likely to hold 5G spectrum auction in early June, telecom minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Thursday.The minister said that the Department of Telecom is working as per expected timeline and the process is on to resolve industry concerns around spectrum pricing.Asked about the schedule of the spectrum auction, Vaishnaw said that it is expected to be in early June.Setting the stage for the rollout of 5G services, telecom regulator TRAI has mooted a mega auction plan valued at over Rs. 7.5 lakh crore at the…

The government is examining proposals from three telecom companies keen to opt for converting interest on deferred spectrum and adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues into equity, Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said in the Rajya Sabha on Friday.The minister — responding during Question Hour to a query if the government has any equity in private telecom firm Vodafone — said a one-time option was given to telecom companies to either pay upfront the interest on AGR dues or convert it in the form of equity in lieu of that as…

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) will soon have 4G services, Minister of State for Communications Devusinh Chauhan said during the Rajya Sabha's Question Hour on Friday. The state-owned telecom operator has been struggling to compete against private players in India for the last few years. As a result of facing monetary and subscriber-base losses, the government decided to merge BSNL with Mahanagar Telecom Nigam Limited (MTNL). During the Question Hour, the minister also said that 5G services in India will begin by the…

The auction of 5G spectrum will be held on schedule and within the stipulated timeline, Minister of Communications Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Monday.His affirmation comes at a time when telecom regulator TRAI's 5G recommendations on spectrum pricing and other nuances, which were widely expected to come by March-end, have spilled over by a few days to early April.Asked if 5G auction will be held as per schedule, Vaishnaw said, "absolutely".He was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event - 2nd national conference on…

The government's roadmap for the semiconductor sector entails big investments due to geopolitical circumstances but it is giving equal importance to design and innovation, Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar said on Monday.Speaking at 35th International VLSI and Embedded Systems Conference, Chandrasekhar said India's performance during the COVID-19 pandemic has placed the country among experts in the technology space."Our ambitions specifically in the semiconductor space are very clear. Our…

Making a pitch for self-reliance in semiconductor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday stressed on 'Make in India' initiative, calling for sustainable and qualitative manufacturing in the country.Virtually addressing a post-budget Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) webinar on 'Make in India for the World', the Prime Minister said, "We need to give focus on 'Make in India', need to manufacture sustainable and qualitative products. We have to become self-reliant in production of…

Union Minister for Power and New and Renewable Energy R. K. Singh on Thursday said that the attempts made by Chinese hackers to target electricity distribution centres near Ladakh were successfully blocked. As many as two attempts of cyberattack targeting the electricity distribution in the Union Territory were made by the hackers.Reacting to media reports claiming a cyberattack on the power grid near Ladakh between August and March, Singh said, "two attempts by Chinese hackers were made to target electricity distribution…