MP: Gwalior telecom zone secures Rs 5,500 crore commitments
Mumbai/Gwalior, Aug 4 India's first Telecom Manufacturing Zone, proposed in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior, has attracted investment commitments worth Rs 5,500 crore through two investors' meetings held over the past week, Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Tuesday.
The Union Minister shared this information during a press conference after chairing an investors' meeting in Mumbai. He informed that the latest commitments of around Rs 2,000 crore were received during the Mumbai meet, taking the total proposed investment in the project to Rs 5,500 crore. The project is expected to generate more than 18,000 employment opportunities.
The Mumbai meeting, jointly chaired by Scindia and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, was attended by nearly 18 companies from the telecom manufacturing ecosystem. Last week, the inaugural investors' roundtable in New Delhi had secured investment commitments worth Rs 3,500 crore.
The proposed Telecom Manufacturing Zone is being developed as a dedicated manufacturing hub for telecom products and equipment and is targeting investments of more than Rs 10,000 crore.
Scindia said India was entering the next phase of its telecom growth by focusing on manufacturing after making significant progress in telecom services and digital connectivity. He noted that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has witnessed a transformational revolution in telecommunications and digitalisation over the last 12 years.
"India has evolved from a nation driven by telecom services into one preparing to become a global leader in telecom products and manufacturing," he said.
The Union Minister said the country now aims to increase domestic value addition, create intellectual property in India, and manufacture telecom products for global markets under the vision of 'Make in India, Make for the World'.
He added that the proposed zone would integrate the entire telecom value chain, including research and development, design, testing, semiconductors, optical fibre, telecom equipment, and allied industries with common infrastructure.
"The Telecom Manufacturing Zone is a first‑of‑its‑kind initiative for the telecom sector. A Special Purpose Vehicle comprising the Department of Telecommunications and the Madhya Pradesh government will jointly oversee the project and ensure seamless implementation while facilitating investments," Scindia said.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said the state government would provide all necessary support to investors through industry‑friendly policies, land availability, capital assistance, logistics support, and skill development initiatives.
"The Telecom Manufacturing Zone will establish Madhya Pradesh as a major destination for telecom manufacturing, while contributing to India's goal of becoming a global manufacturing hub and creating large‑scale employment opportunities," Yadav said.
The project was announced after the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Madhya Pradesh government signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on July 30 for setting up an integrated manufacturing ecosystem in Gwalior.
— IANS
Reader Comments
This is the kind of 'Make in India' success we need to see more of! But I hope the government ensures proper skill development programs so that local Madhya Pradesh youth get first preference in these jobs. Don't want all the good positions going to people from metros.
Rs 5,500 crore is definitely a big number, but I'm cautiously optimistic. We've seen announcements before that never materialize. The SPV model is interesting though - DoT and state government working together could actually deliver. Let's see how the land acquisition and infrastructure development go on ground. 🤔
Gwalior's time has finally come! The city has always had strategic importance - being at the heart of India. If we can develop a proper telecom ecosystem here, it could become the Shenzhen of India. Hope the government also focuses on creating local suppliers and MSMEs around this zone, not just big ticket investments. 🙏
This is fantastic news for India's telecom sector. The focus on domestic value addition and intellectual property creation is exactly what we need to move up the value chain. If India can become a telecom manufacturing hub, it strengthens the entire global supply chain resilience. Well done to all stakeholders involved!
While this is positive, we need to be careful about the execution. The previous government's ambitious industrial projects often got stuck in bureaucratic red tape and land acquisition issues. Now that Scindia ji is the telecom minister and Gwalior is his home turf, I'm hopeful he'll personally monitor progress and ensure the project delivers on its promises. Also, proper environmental clearances should be a priority.
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