Addressing the seventh post-budget webinar, India’s Prime Minister (PM), Narendra Modi, said the Union Budget 2021-22 has clearly laid down a roadmap for the 5G spectrum auction in the country. Along with this, Modi said that an emphasis on sectors like geospatial systems, drones, artificial intelligence, space technology, semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, and clean technologies was given. PM Modi wants India to become a self-reliant country. This year’s budget was focused on making use of technology to help the government and the country to achieve the goal of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.
PM Modi Wants India to Make Maximum Use of Tech for Ease of Living
Science is universal, but technology is local. India is familiar with the principles of science, but we need to learn to make maximum use of it for ‘Ease of Living’, said PM Modi. In areas such as Railways, waterways, airways, house construction, and optical fibers, PM Modi urged to make use of technology. The 5G spectrum auction date in India is currently unknown. This is because the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is still working on providing recommendations to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). Once the DoT receives recommendations from the sector regulator, it can set a final date for the 5G spectrum auctions. The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has asked DoT to ensure that 5G networks go live by August 15, 2022. DoT has thus asked TRAI to expedite the process of submitting the recommendations. TRAI is said to be working on getting done with the spectrum recommendations before the end of March 2022. This would mean that India could see the 5G spectrum auctions happening around May or June of this year. If there are any delays from TRAI, the expected time frame will be pushed ahead. The upcoming spectrum auction will be one of the biggest India has ever seen as even satellite communications (satcom) players are expected to participate.
