Category: Communications

Eminent rocket scientist and the newly appointed chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) V Narayanan on Wednesday said that the space agency is going through a successful phase and Chandrayaan-4 and Gaganyaan are among the prominent missions ahead.

Expressing happiness about his new stint as the Secretary, Department of Space and as the chairman of the ISRO, Narayanan said he considers it as a great luck to be part of such a great organisation led by great leaders.

“It is such a great organisation. Several great leaders have led it (in the past). I consider it as a great luck to be part of it,” he told reporters here.

While replying to a question, Narayanan said the information about his new appointment was first passed on to him by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

“The PM is deciding everything. The PMO has contacted. The current chairman S Somanath sir also called and said about the new appointment,” he said.

When asked about the upcoming projects of ISRO, the newly appointed Chairman said it is the time when the space agency is undertaking significant missions.

“As everyone knows, it is the time when the ISRO is going through a successful phase,” he said.

While giving details about the upcoming projects, Narayanan said the ISRO launched the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) mission on December 30 and the docking experiment of the SpaDeX satellites would be held on January 9.

Stating that Gaganyaan is another major programme before the ISRO, he said the works related to the launching of the uncrewed module or uncrewed rocket as part it are successfully progressing.

He said works are progressing at Sriharikota to send the navigation satellite, NVS 02, using a GSLV later this month.

The works to send a commercial satellite of the United States using ISRO’s Mark III vehicle and the rocket assembly as part of Gaganyaan (G 1) are also progressing there (Sriharikota), he further said.

While talking about the Bengaluru-headquartered agency’s future projects, Narayanan said as everybody knows, India has become the first country to land in the south pole of the moon through the Chandrayaan 3 mission.

“In Chandrayaan 4, the objective is to land there and come back collecting samples. Works in this regard have already started,” he explained. He also mentioned about the setting up of India’s own space station.

“The Prime Minister has given approval for building a space station for us…The space station will have five modules and an approval has been granted to launch the first among them during (the year) 2028,” the new Chairman added.

According to an official order, V Narayanan was on Tuesday appointed Secretary, Department of Space, succeeding S Somanath, who will complete his tenure next week. PTI

NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang recently visited Japan as part of a global tour promoting the future development of AI ecosystems in several key economies. The highlight of the company’s first “AI Japan Summit” was a conversation between Huang and SoftBank’s Masayoshi Son about the future of 5G networks and the pivotal role AI will play in transforming mobile networks.

The conversation was notable in that it was clear that the mobile network space is an increasing focus for the company. And it was equally clear that mobile network operators are exploring radical new approaches to network management going forward.

Both companies have made bold claims about the earning potential of this future AI-RAN network. They claim to be able to generate US$5 in AI inference revenue from every US$1 of CapEx invested in AI-RAN infrastructure over the lifetime of this new equipment.

It makes sense for NVIDIA to focus on the mobile network space as because of the sheer market opportunity: There are roughly 10 million 5G base stations in the world now and adding intelligence with an NVIDIA chip could easily translate into billions of dollars in revenues for the company.

The Multi-Billion Dollar AI-RAN Opportunity – For Telcos & Vendors
According to Japanese government data, SoftBank had 65,366 5G base stations in Japan at the start of 2024. Assuming that an AI-RAN server can service 20 cell sites and an NVIDIA GH200 Grace Hopper Superchip server costs roughly US$400,000, this equates to a US$1.3bn investment from SoftBank to upgrade the entire network.

And on the revenue side, multiplying this figure by five times would equate to a US$6.5bn dollar opportunity for SoftBank. If every 5G network in the world upgraded to AI-RAN and the 5x metric were true around the world this would equate to a roughly US$200bn opportunity for vendors and a US$1 trillion-dollar opportunity for telcos. Clearly this is a best case, back of the envelope calculation, but it should come as no surprise that this topic is attracting much attention recently.

It is more likely that SoftBank and other telcos would initially upgrade the network in dense urban areas where roughly half their 5G network is located – which would still equate to a US$650 million investment with US$3.3bn in additional revenue for SoftBank with the global opportunity standing at US$100bn for vendors and US$500bn for telcos; a game changer for the industry.

Back of the Envelope: Global AI-RAN Vendor Opportunity, Urban & Total Deployments (US$bn) TAM

From SoftBank’s perspective introducing AI into their mobile network also makes sense. The telco’s ARPU has not increased since it launched commercial 5G services in 2020. In fact, its ARPU, like the industry average, continues to fall despite all the additional CapEx and operating costs associated with running a 5G network. This is why telcos are increasingly looking to AI to both optimize network costs by automating as many functions as possible and to create new services. Hence, we expect announcements like the one made by NVIDIA and SoftBank to become more common in the future. Counterpoint Research

After a brief impact of SIM consolidation, subscribers are likely to grow again from Q3FY25, according to ICICI Securities (ISec) in their telecom report. Bharti Airtel is projected to benefit the most, with subscriber additions estimated at around 5 million, while Reliance Jio’s subscriber additions are estimated at 3 million. Meanwhile, Vodafone Idea (Vi) may lose up to 4 million subscribers, the report said.

“Subs base that dipped in Q2FY25 on SIM consolidation, may resume growing. Airtel’s 4G/5G net add should remain stable at 6mn; Vi’s 4G subs may dip by 1mn, which should grow from Q4FY25E on network expansion benefits,” said the report.

ARPU to grow QoQ on the back of tariff hike but with lower intensity
Stating that the residual ARPU benefits from teclos’ earlier tariff hikes will continue in Q3FY25, ISec estimated Airtel’s ARPU to grow 5 per cent QoQ/17.7 per cent YoY to ₹245. In terms of mobile services revenue growth, Airtel is estimated to increase 5.3 per cent QoQ, partly due to Indus Towers’ complete consolidation, changing company status from associate to subsidiary.

Jio’s ARPU may jump 3.8 per cent QoQ/11.5 per cent YoY to ₹203. Commenting on the comparatively lower growth, the report said, “Optically, growth may appear lower vs Airtel, as Jio has a higher proportion of long validity subs; hence, tariff hike translation is staggered over three quarters.”

Vi’s ARPU is expected to rise 3 per cent QoQ/10.8 per cent YoY to ₹161 but revenue to grow 1 per cent QoQ/3.5 per cent YoY to ₹110 billion due to subs losses. The report also expects a dip in 4G subs, as network rollout started from November 2024. The Hindu BusinessLine

Hyderabad offers a conducive ecosystem for the semiconductor (chip manufacturing) and allied industries due to a skilled talent pool, stated Telangana’s IT and industries minister Duddilla Sridhar Babu during a meeting with representatives of the PTW Group’s Asia division on Monday. The group specialises in tools, components, refurbishment, automation and equipment supply for the semiconductor industry and has its regional headquarters in Singapore.

The minister assured the delegation that the government was ready to provide incentives and subsidies under its policies to facilitate their setup in the region. He welcomed the company to submit concrete proposals, reiterating the state’s commitment to supporting their venture. He also emphasised the government’s focus on creating a semiconductor cluster in Hyderabad to attract more investments in this critical sector.

Speaking about their plans, Torsten Seifried, managing director of PTW Asia, said that the company is prepared to invest Rs 1,000 crore in the first phase of setting up a production facility, and the initiative would be a significant step in strengthening India’s semiconductor manufacturing capabilities. The meeting also included discussions with the company’s local partner N. Vidyasagar Reddy, managing director of Bartronics, and Rao Panidapu, CEO of Singapore-based consulting firm Top2 PTE Ltd. Deccan Chronicle

Any reduction in the customs duty on smartphone parts in the forthcoming budget will harm India’s developing component ecosystem, discourage investment, increase imports, and make local firms uncompetitive, potentially resulting in job losses, think tank GTRI said on Tuesday.

India’s smartphone industry is a ‘Make in India’ success story, with 2023-24 production reaching $49.2 billion and exports at $15.6 billion, making smartphones the fourth-largest export after diesel, aviation fuel, and polished diamonds.

However, a few industry groups are pushing for further import tariff cuts on smartphone components in the Union Budget for FY26.

The Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) warns that this could harm India’s growing local manufacturing ecosystem and long-term ambitions in electronics.

“Instead of cutting tariffs, GTRI recommends setting up component hubs near ports to reduce import delays and warehousing costs. This approach, used by countries like Vietnam and China, would support local manufacturing and reduce import dependency,” the think tank’s founder Ajay Srivastava said.

Highlighting six key risks of reducing tariffs, he said any reduction would harm India’s developing component ecosystem, discourage investment, and hurt the goal of self-reliance; and would not help pushing exports as current export schemes already allow duty-free imports for manufacturing exports.

He added that the country’s success in smartphone manufacturing stems from policies promoting local production through tariffs, incentives, and phased programmes and cutting tariffs could weaken this framework.

“Lower tariffs could encourage unsustainable assembly-based operations, as seen in past policy failures. Besides, the mid- and low-end segments depend on local components and provide employment. Duty cuts would make local firms uncompetitive, resulting in job losses,” he added.

He also said that the electronics imports have risen significantly, and further tariff cuts would worsen this trend, increasing India’s reliance on foreign suppliers.

Tariffs were already reduced from 15 per cent to 10 per cent last year.

Explaining further, the GTRI said that out of $49.2 billion worth of production of smartphones last fiscal, premium phones account for about 20 per cent of production, mid-range 30 per cent, and low-end 50 per cent.

“Local components are used in 70 per cent of low-end phones, 50 per cent of mid-range phones, and only 5-30 per cent of premium phones. The rising use of local parts is driven by India’s production of key components for mid- and low-end phones like printed circuit boards (PCBs), display modules, camera modules, battery packs, smart phone chargers and adapters, wiring harnesses, microphones and speakers, SIM card holders, and USB connectors,” it said.

However, the ecosystem is still developing and needs protection, and reducing import tariffs would allow duty-free imports, making it harder for local firms to compete and would force them to shut down, it said.

“This would discourage further investment in local manufacturing and undo the progress made under the Phased Manufacturing Programme (PMP). It would harm not just the smartphone industry but the entire electronics sector, jeopardizing India’s goal of becoming self-reliant in electronics production,” it said.

It added that the mid-range and low-end smartphone segments, which heavily rely on locally produced components, provide significant employment opportunities.

“If import duties are reduced, local firms will struggle to compete with duty-free imports, leading to job losses. In contrast, countries like South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan have focused on developing specialised local ecosystems for high-value components, which has helped them sustain their electronics industries and create long-term jobs,” it said.

On imports, the GTRI said that India’s electronics component imports are rising. It rose from $15.8 billion in FY19 to $34.4 billion in FY24.

Cutting tariffs further will increase this dependence on foreign suppliers, making India vulnerable to global supply chain disruptions, it said. PTI

The government, under the aegis of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), has taken on board Indian Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA) and consultancy firm Bain & Company to finalise a detailed strategy report for the country to hit an ambitious production value of $500 billion in electronics by 2030.

The report is expected to be released by Communications Minister Ashwani Vaishnaw in the next few days, said sources in the know. The ambitious vision for electronics was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi a few months ago.

In July 2024, Niti Aayog came out with a study on how to power India’s participation in the global value chain (GVC) of electronics in which it envisioned that India could reach the magic number, with at least $200 billion coming from exports wherein both finished goods and components would play a major role. It also expected that this would lead to generating 5.5-6 million jobs. The study also suggested policy interventions to make the target reality across various areas.

Now, MeitY is in the final stages of putting together a production linked incentives (PLI) scheme for electronic components, with a budgetary allocation of over Rs 40,000 crore to build a vibrant supply chain of components not only for the domestic market but also for exports across the world.

Based on discussions on the specific road map to achieve the target, the upcoming report is expected to break down the target across various segments of electronics, which include mobile devices, consumer electronics, auto electronics, telecom electronics, IT servers, hearables and wearables, and medical electronics.

The aim under discussion is to bring India’s share in global electronics production value to 6-7 per cent by 2030.

For instance, ICEA has submitted in its discussions that it can more than double production of mobile phones in India, which are currently at $57 billion (accounting for 12 per cent of global mobile production value), to $120 billion by 2030, going up to 16-17 per cent of global production.

However, in other segments, India is woefully behind, and will need to catch up fast. For instance, India’s share in IT hardware, small servers, and tablets is a mere 1 per cent of their global production value of $400 billion. In wearables and hearables, India’s production value is $2 billion compared to the global value of $80 billion.

In 2022, MeitY had similarly prepared a road map with stakeholders under which it had targeted $300 billion on electronics production by 2026.

To put India’s electronics in perspective, it has a less than 1 per cent share of the global production value of $11 trillion. Its share of the electronics GVC is slightly better at 2 per cent.

Two, there is no doubt electronics exports have boomed — between April and November of the current financial year (FY25), it hit $22.5 billion, growing by 28 per cent over the same period of FY24. It is now the third-largest export commodity in the first eight months of FY25, compared to being at sixth in the same period of FY24.

But in comparison, India’s competitors in the electronics space in the global sweepstakes are way ahead — China has exported 37 times more of electronics in value, Vietnam 5.4 times, Malaysia 4.3 times, and even Mexico 3.4 times in comparison to India. Business Standard

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology on Friday released draft rules under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, and sought public comments till Feb. 18.

The draft rules deal with the provisions for personal data breach, protecting children’s data, the consent manager framework, and the setting up of a data protection board.

While the draft rules provide extensive guidance on several issues, they provide less detailed guidance on thorny issues like the manner of notice, reasonable security standards, contracting with processors, and breach notification, as per Arun Prabhu, Partner (Head of Technology) at Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas.

Personal Data Breach
The rules provide that if a breach in an individual’s personal data occurs, the data fiduciary, such as a social media entity, financial institution, or website, must inform the affected person. The details of the breach, along with its nature, timing, and location, must also be shared.

The individual must be apprised of information about the consequences of the breach and the safety measures that can be implemented.

They must also notify the Data Protection Board with detailed updates within 72 hours, including mitigation steps and measures to prevent recurrence.

Protecting Children Data
One of the major reforms in the rules is about protecting the data of children online. When personal data of a child or a person with a disability is collected, the organisation must get permission from the parent or legal guardian before processing it.

The organisation must verify that the person giving consent is indeed the parent or guardian and is an adult. This process ensures that children’s data is handled responsibly and that appropriate consent is obtained before processing their information.

How Long Can Your Data Be Kept?
There are rules about how long personal data can be kept. If an organisation has personal data for a specific purpose and no one uses it within a set period, the data should be erased.

This helps to ensure that data is not kept unnecessarily and is only used for its intended purpose.

Before erasing the data, the organisation must notify the person to whom it belongs, as per the proposed rules.

Handling Of Personal Data
When any organisation collects and handles personal data, it must take reasonable steps to protect it. This means using security methods like encryption, controlling who can access the data, and monitoring activity to prevent unauthorised access.

The organisation must also have measures in place to recover the data if it’s lost or damaged and ensure that security is part of any contracts with third parties involved in processing the data.

Can Government Use Your Data?
As per the proposed rules, the government and its agencies can use personal data to provide services like subsidies, benefits, certificates, licenses, or permits.

Expert Opinions
These measures showcase a balanced approach toward fostering innovation while addressing privacy concerns and advancing India’s objective of establishing a sovereign and secure data economy, as per Anandaday Misshra, Founder & Managing Partner, AMLEGALS.

The rules also introduce complex compliance requirements, such as stringent consent manager registration norms and extensive disclosure obligations, which may disproportionately impact smaller enterprises, as per Rashmi Deshpande, founder, Fountainhead Legal.

Additionally, while the provisions for international data transfers and state exemptions are significant, they necessitate greater clarity to prevent potential misuse and ensure uniform application, she said.

The rules also prescribe algorithmic assessments for significant data fiduciaries reflecting an alignment with the AI-driven future, as per Ankit Sahni, partner, Ajay Sahni & Associates.

However, Prabhu from Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas mentioned that potential restrictions on the use of “algorithmic software” by SDFs and the timelines for implementation are far less clear and may be ironed out during the consultation process for which a 45-day time period has been provided in relation to rules. NDTV Profit

For the first time, the rules for the Digital Personal Data Protection Act categorise various types of data fiduciaries and stipulate that entities like e-commerce platforms, online gaming services, and social media networks must delete user data three years after it is no longer needed.

These requirements are outlined in Section 8 of the draft rules, which mandate that data fiduciaries must erase personal data when it is no longer necessary for its intended purpose. The Third Schedule of the draft rules specifies the data retention timelines for different data fiduciaries, including social media platforms, online gaming platforms, and e-commerce entities.

Such platforms are required to notify users at least 48 hours before data deletion, providing them the opportunity to log in or initiate contact to retain their information. User accounts encompass profiles, email addresses, or phone numbers used for accessing services.

The draft rules, which were made available on January 3 for public consultation, will be open for feedback until February 18.

The draft further defines e-commerce platforms as entities with no fewer than 20 million registered users in India, online gaming intermediaries as those with 5 million or more users, and social media intermediaries as those with 20 million or more users in India.

Additionally, these data fiduciaries must allow users to access their accounts and provide access to any virtual tokens that can be exchanged for money, goods, or services.

The schedule also defines an e-commerce entity as “any person who owns, operates, or manages a digital facility or platform for e-commerce as defined in the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 (35 of 2019), but does not include a seller offering her goods or services for sale on a marketplace e-commerce entity as defined in the said Act.”

The definition of an online gaming intermediary is “any intermediary who enables the users of its computer resource to access one or more online games”.

Finally, the draft rules describe a social media intermediary as “an intermediary as defined in the Information Technology Act, 2000 (21 of 2000) who primarily or solely enables online interaction between two or more users and allows them to create, upload, share, disseminate, modify, or access information using her services.” Business Standard

The Aerospace and Defense Optical Fiber Cable Market is poised for steady growth, with estimates putting its value at US$ 1.2 billion in 2023. According to recent forecasts, the sector is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.5%, reaching a projected US$ 1.6 billion by the year 2034, according to Research and Markets.

The most comprehensive market intelligence report on the aerospace and defense optical fiber cable market provides significant insights into market dynamics and strategic growth areas. The report aids stakeholders in identifying potential opportunities for expansion and investment in this sector. The crucial findings and projections of this report are the outcome of a rigorous research methodology, which includes a combination of both secondary and primary resources to gather qualitative and quantitative data. With the market poised for growth, stakeholders invested in the aerospace and defense sectors may benefit significantly from identifying and capitalizing on the emerging opportunities in the optical fiber cable market.

Several key driving forces are propelling the growth of the aerospace and defense optical fiber cable market
The rise in worldwide military spending is significantly driving the procurement of advanced technological solutions and the expansion of defense programs. Heightened geopolitical tensions are spurring the need for enhanced communications infrastructure. The expanding aircraft fleet forecasts underline the growing global aviation demands and investments in modernizing air transport assets. Increased demand for Earth Observation (EO) and communication services are driven by advancements in satellite technologies and the need for high-resolution imaging services.

Market Challenges
The market’s expansion faces challenges such as stringent regulatory mandates and the integration difficulties of optical fiber technology with existing systems. The fragility of optical fiber cables, especially those with glass cores, leads to potential increased costs and operational delay risks.

End-Use Analysis
A significant share of the market is comprised of military applications, while commercial usage is expected to see the fastest growth.

Application Type Analysis
Communication systems within the aerospace and defense sectors, including flight management and electronic warfare, rely heavily on optical fiber cables and are anticipated to be at the forefront of market demand.

Cable and Material Type Analysis
Single-mode cables are the predicted dominant cable type over the forecast period, backed by their high-bandwidth capabilities. Glass-made optical fiber cables continue to dominate the material segment, yet plastic-made alternatives are showing faster growth, thanks to their lower cost and simpler manufacturing process.

Regional Analysis
North America is expected to maintain its dominance in the market largely due to its established aerospace and defense infrastructure and the presence of key industry players. The Asia-Pacific region is poised for the fastest growth rate due to expanding markets and increasing defense budgets. The market is seeing a moderate level of consolidation with leading players employing strategic mergers and acquisitions to enhance their market position and regional presence. Research and Markets

The USB Type-C market is expected to witness substantial growth, with a projected market increase of USD 17.35 billion over the 2023-2028 period. This acceleration is attributed to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.1%, underscoring the rapid expansion and adoption of USB Type-C technology across various industry verticals, according to Research and Markets.

Diverse Application of USB Type-C Spurs Market Growth
The report details significant factors propelling the USB Type-C market, emphasizing the increasing adoption of premium smartphones in emerging markets, readily available USB Type-C cables and accessories through online channels, and a surge in the demand for smart wearables and IoT devices. Moreover, the market has witnessed a variety of USB Type-C products, including chargers, cables, adaptors, and other accessories. Applications of USB Type-C technology span across consumer electronics, automotive, healthcare, industrial automation, and other sectors. This breadth of application showcases the versatility and critical nature of USB Type-C connectivity in the modern technological landscape.

Geographical Insights
Geographically, the market analysis pinpoints pivotal regions contributing to the market expansion. The Asia Pacific region leads the charge, followed closely by North America and Europe, while notable growth is also observed in the Middle East, Africa, and South America.

Future Market Trajectories
Industry projections indicate that emerging technological trends, such as the integration of wireless charging outlets, will drive further growth in the USB Type-C market. Additionally, governmental initiatives supporting the adoption of USB Type-C ports and the introduction of cutting-edge mobile phone accessories are expected to generate significant market demand. This expansive market analysis underscores the importance of strategic planning for companies aiming to capitalize on the upcoming growth opportunities within the USB Type-C market. It presents a comprehensive picture of the current market dynamics and offers insights for businesses to position themselves advantageously.

Methodological Rigor
The report extrapolates market insights through a meticulously structured combination of primary and secondary research involving key industry contributors. The result presents a robust analysis of the market, which is both comprehensive and reliable, tailored to provide strategic guidance for industry stakeholders. The USB Type-C market report concludes by emphasizing the competitive landscape, providing a thorough vendor analysis to assist clients in enhancing their market positions. Decisive data provided in the report is poised to act as a catalyst for informed decision-making and strategic planning for businesses within the industry. Research and Markets