India is nowhere close to launching 5G services but has already become the 4th largest market for smartphones supporting the next gen technology in terms of shipments, say market research firms. As per IDC, India trailed China, USA, and Japan in terms of 5G smartphone shipments at the lowest average selling price at $410. IDC expects India to reach around 40 million 5G smartphone shipments, which is around 24% of the total, by end of 2021, up from around 3.5 million in 2020. Research expects around 32 million 5G smartphones.

Telecom department's apex body the Digital Communications Commission (DCC) has cleared a provision of using satellite connectivity in telecom networks to provide services in remote areas where it is difficult to lay optical fibre network. Telecom Secretary said that the DCC (formerly the Telecom Commission) has also cleared the Request for Proposal for the rollout of BharatNet project for broadband services in villages in 16 states in public private partnership mode with viability gap funding of Rs 19,041 crore (€2.2 billon). "With a view of ease of doing business, the DCC has approved provision of cellular backhaul connectivity via satellite through VSAT for telecom services as per Trai recommendation. "This will help telecom companies in providing service in far flung areas where it is difficult to lay optical fibre," Prakash said.

• Annual Action Plan - TEC (2021-22) Read more>>

• Green Passport Lab - TEC sets up Green Passport Lab which is conceptualised as a test bed for testing of Telecom devices for Energy efficiency. Read more>>

• Inviting public comments on Adoption of TSDSI transposed OneM2M release-3 standard into national standards by TEC Read more>>

• Inviting comments on Adoption of TSDSI standard for Radio Interface Technology (5Gi) into national standards by TEC Read more>>

• Technology Approval certificate for CDoT's developed XGS-PON system Read more>>

• Energy Consumption Rating and Test Facility in TEC Read more>>

• Adoption of TSDSI transposed standards for 3GPP Release-15 into national standards by TEC – Inviting the public comments by 28th August 2021. Read more>>

• Release of Code of Practice for securing Consumer Internet of Things (IoT).

States which can install smart prepaid meters before December 2023 will also be eligible for an additional incentive of Rs 450 per meter. According to an office memorandum released by the Union power ministry on the contours of the discom scheme, the new meters are to be installed first in the 500 cities covered under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (Amrut) programme where aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C) losses — an indicator of pilferage — are greater than 15%.

Tata Power-DDL and AutoGrid are jointly launching a behavioural demand response program for company’s residential customers to reduce peak demand and network capital costs. This pilot project aims to empower customers, by helping them understand their consumption patterns and evaluate the effectiveness of demand response (DR) programs. AutoGrid is a global leader in AI-based energy management solutions, to undertake joint project around demand response (DR), distributed energy resource management (DERMS), electric vehicles (EVs), virtual power plants (VPPs), energy storage optimization, flexibility management, forecasting, and renewable integration. Tata Power-DDL and AutoGird both will strive to develop and deploy cutting-edge energy management technologies to optimize usage for the larger benefit of Tata Power-DDL customers.

The Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) has chalked out a 1,000-day agenda, aiming to make India a $1 trillion digital economy over the next few years. Key to the initiative will be making India the largest connected nation in the world, bringing coherence into digital governance, simplifying rules and legislations for technology and social media companies, and focusing on building India’s high-tech prowess.

• Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Amendment Rules, 2021. Read more/download>>

• Order on Testing power system equipment for use in the Supply System & Network in the country for Cyber Security. Read more>>

• Seeking comments Draft Electricity (Promoting renewable energy through Green Energy Open Access) Rules, 2021. Read more>>

Guidelines for Encouraging Competition in Development of Transmission Projects and TBCB Guidelines.

• Public Procurement (Preference to Make in India) to provide for Purchase Preference (linked with local content) in respect of Renewable Energy (RE) Sector Read more/Download>>

• Financial Support Scheme to Promote Innovative Industrial Organic Waste-to-Energy (IOWtE) Biomethanation Technologies and Business Models in India & GIS Waste Mapping Tool under GEF-MNRE-UNIDO Project Read more>>

• Invitation for Expression of Interest (EOI) for conducting evaluation of the programme/scheme for "Development of Solar Parks and Ultra Mega Solar Power Projects".

• Production Linked Incentive scheme: For enhancing India’s Manufacturing capabilities and exports, an outlay of Rs 1.97 lakh crore (€23.2 billion) has been announced in Union Budget 2021-22 for production linked incentive scheme for 13 key sectors for 5 years starting from fiscal year 2021-22.

• Ease of doing business and compliance burden: Initiatives taken for compliance reduction are focused on simplifying and digitizing various processes, reduction in documents in documents to be submitted along with applications, reduction in frequency of inspections, etc. 

• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI): 100% FDI is permitted in manufacturing sector under automatic route.

• Public Procurement: To promote domestic investment and usage of made in India products by the government, the public procurement (Preference to Make in India) order has been revised on 16.09.2020

• Industrial Corridor: The National Corridor Program (NICP) has been conceived to promote world class manufacturing facilities and develop futuristic industrial cities in India.   

Minister of State in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said that Make in India initiative has made significant achievements and presently focuses on 27 sectors under Make in India 2.0. Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade is coordinating action plans for manufacturing sectors, while Department of Commerce is coordinating service sectors. Accordingly, the Govt. is making continuous efforts under Investment Facilitation for implementation of Make in India action plans to identify potential investors. Investment Outreach activities are being carried out for enhancing international co-operation for promoting FDI and improve Ease of Doing Business in the country.