Centre, MP to sign MoU for country's first Telecom Manufacturing Zone in Gwalior
New Delhi/Gwalior, July 30 Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Thursday announced that the Centre and the Madhya Pradesh government will sign a Memorandum of Understanding for setting up the country's first Telecom Manufacturing Zone in Gwalior, with Chief Minister Mohan Yadav scheduled to attend the event.
The MoU will be signed later in the day at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi between the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Government of India, and the Madhya Pradesh government's Department of Industrial Policy and Investment Promotion.
The proposed Telecom Manufacturing Zone will be developed over nearly 350 acres on a plug-and-play model.
The Centre has approved Rs 493 crore as 100 per cent financial assistance for creating the core infrastructure during the first phase of the project.
Calling the initiative a landmark step for India's telecom manufacturing sector, Scindia said, "The Telecom Manufacturing Zone will provide fresh momentum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, Make in India, Digital India and Viksit Bharat 2047. It will create a world-class ecosystem for telecom manufacturing in the country."
He said the project would strengthen domestic manufacturing capabilities while helping position India as a global hub for telecom equipment production.
"The establishment of the country's first Telecom Manufacturing Zone in Gwalior will not only boost telecom manufacturing but also attract investments, generate employment and create opportunities for innovation and exports," Scindia said in a statement.
According to an official statement, the integrated manufacturing zone will include facilities for research, development and production of mobile phones, telecom network equipment, fibre optic products, semiconductors, and next-generation 5G and 6G technologies.
Officials said the project would complement national initiatives such as the India Semiconductor Mission and Electronics Component Schemes by creating an integrated ecosystem that brings research, innovation and manufacturing under one umbrella.
The zone is also expected to attract large-scale investments and provide opportunities for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and startups engaged in the electronics and telecom sectors.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, Union Minister Scindia and senior officials from the Centre and the state government are scheduled to attend the MoU signing ceremony. Once operational, the Telecom Manufacturing Zone is expected to emerge as a major telecom manufacturing hub and strengthen India's position in the global telecommunications and electronics manufacturing landscape.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Finally, some concrete steps towards Atmanirbhar Bharat in telecom. For too long we've relied on Chinese imports for network equipment. A dedicated zone for R&D in 5G and 6G is a game changer. But execution will be key — hope they don't just sit on the MoU.
Great move, but 350 acres seems small for a 'national hub'. In China, similar zones are thousands of acres. Hope they have plans for expansion. Also, ₹493 crore sounds decent for phase 1, but telecom manufacturing is capital-intensive — will need much more later.
As someone from Gwalior, this feels personal! 🥳 Our city has so much potential — we have the Gwalior Fort, now we'll have a telecom hub. Really hope this stops brain drain from MP. My cousin moved to Bangalore for electronics work; maybe now he can come back.
All this is good, but what about the basics? Gwalior needs reliable power, water, and road connectivity first. I've seen many SEZs fail because infrastructure was promised but not delivered. Let's hope this time the ground work is done before inviting companies.
Interesting to see India moving up the value chain. As someone working in global telecom supply chains, this zone could be significant — especially if they focus on 5G/6G and semiconductors. The MSME focus is smart too; that's where innovation often happens.
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