Telecom manufacturing zone: Will help create a robust skills ecosystem, says industry
New Delhi, July 30
Industry bodies on Thursday welcomed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Centre and the Madhya Pradesh government to establish India's first Telecom Manufacturing Zone in Gwalior, a project expected to attract investments of up to Rs 9,000 crore and generate more than 10,000 jobs.
The project would be developed over nearly 350 acres under a plug-and-play model, with the Centre providing Rs 500 crore as 100 per cent financial assistance for infrastructure development in the first phase.
Pankaj Mohindroo, Chairman, ICEA, said that "recognising that a globally competitive manufacturing ecosystem requires a highly skilled workforce, ICEA has assumed the responsibility of building the talent and innovation backbone of the TMZ by establishing a Centre of Excellence and Centre for Skilling."
"This will develop a pipeline of industry-ready engineers, technicians, and professionals while also strengthening the design and R&D capabilities of the zone. By creating a robust skills ecosystem aligned with industry requirements, ICEA will help build a sustainable talent pool for Madhya Pradesh, enabling the state to emerge as a leading destination for telecom manufacturing and innovation while reinforcing India's ambition to become a global telecom manufacturing hub," he mentioned.
The MoU was signed between the Union Department of Telecommunications (DoT), and the Madhya Pradesh Department of Industries in the presence of Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav.
Scindia said the Telecom Manufacturing Zone would strengthen the Centre's vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, Make in India, Digital India and Viksit Bharat 2047, while positioning Madhya Pradesh as a key telecom manufacturing hub.
He said the integrated manufacturing hub would include facilities for research, design, testing and production of mobile phones, telecom network equipment, fibre optics, semiconductors, and next-generation 5G and 6G technologies.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Impressive to see India pushing Atmanirbhar Bharat with such concrete steps. But I worry about whether Rs 500 crore is enough for first phase infrastructure. In my experience, these zones in other states often face land acquisition and regulatory hurdles. Good to see Scindia pushing for his home state though.
Finally some real action on telecom manufacturing! For too long we've imported everything from China. With 5G and 6G coming, we need our own R&D and production. But I'm skeptical about the '10,000 jobs' claim - will these be skilled jobs or just assembly line work? The skilling center idea is good but needs to be practical, not just certificate mills. Bahut der ho gayi, par der aaye durust aaye.
As someone from Gwalior, I'm excited but cautious. We've had many announcements in the past that didn't materialize. The city has the talent pool from ITM, M.I.T.S., and other colleges. If this truly creates a hub like Shenzhen or Taiwan, it could change the entire region. But please, focus on basic infrastructure first - roads, power, and water in the industrial area. Also, what about pollution controls with all this manufacturing?
It's refreshing to see India moving up the value chain from just assembling phones to actually manufacturing network equipment and semiconductors. The collaboration with ICEA is smart - industry bodies understand what skills are actually needed. My caution would be about the state government's ability to maintain momentum once the initial political attention fades. Hope this becomes a template for other states.
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