Telecom Sector

In the budget for the year 2026-27 outlay for SASCI scheme was enhanced from Rs 1.44 trillion in the revised estimate for FY2026 to Rs 2 trillion

Rising smartphone prices and weaker travel demand may slow 2G upgrades and hit roaming revenues, posing near-term challenges for Indian telcos

Jio, on the other hand, continues to remain as the largest carrier and additions may not appear high due to the base effect

India's imports of telecom instruments from China climbed to USD 6,371 million (about Rs 59,500 crore) in 2023-24, up from USD 5,553 million in 2019-20, Parliament was informed on Wednesday. Minister of State for Communications Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, in a written reply to Lok Sabha, said that total imports in the telecom instruments category rose from USD 13,333 million in 2019-20 to USD 17,010 million in 2023-24. "The imports under the principal commodity 'telecom instruments' have increased from USD 13,333 million in 2019-20 to 17,010 million in 2023-24. Further, the import from China during the period has increased from USD 5,553 million to 6,371 million," the minister said. To boost domestic manufacturing of telecom instruments, he said the government has introduced the Public Procurement order to give preference in government procurement for goods and services which meet the minimum domestic value addition criteria. He also noted the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme

Trai tightens compliance norms with graded penalties and interest for delays in tariff reporting by telecom service providers

Tower firms rely on diesel generators to power sites in non-grid remote, rural areas

Communications minister says BSNL will remain a public enterprise, highlights subscriber growth and progress in 4G rollout

Ind-Ra says telcos need a Rs 35-40 ARPU increase to achieve 15% ROCE, indicating another round of tariff hikes even as profitability improves and capex intensity falls across the sector

HSBC says Vodafone Idea's Rs 45,000 crore capex plan will not help it gain market share as Jio and Airtel outspend it significantly; tariff hikes and cash flow gains remain critical

DoT has asked Noida International Airport to allow telcos to set up networks under the Telecommunications Act 2023, marking its second such intervention after Navi Mumbai airport

India's rapid 5G rollout is powering early AI adoption in telecom networks, giving local operators a global edge in performance, efficiency and innovation

Airtel has sought parity with Vodafone Idea on AGR dues reassessment and says it has written multiple times to the DoT, while outlining its plans on data centres, ARPU growth and 5G strategy

Reciprocal tariffs cut to 18% under the India-US trade deal are expected to improve margins and competitiveness for Indian telecom equipment and optic fibre makers

Indus Towers says dividend decision will be taken in Q4 FY26, factoring in Vodafone Idea's financial stability after AGR relief and changes in buyback taxation

AGR dues relief, improved operating performance and a large upcoming capex plan prompt the ratings agency to revise its outlook on the telecom operator

KM Birla says AGR overhang resolution a turning point for telco's revival

Reassessment of AGR begins, No 3 carrier confident of servicing obligations

No 2 carrier writes to DoT seeking reassessment of dues

Trai Chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti said India should adopt a risk-based approach to AI regulation, with oversight limited to high-risk use cases while low-risk applications remain under self-regulation

Studying the implications, and will take deeper look at the company's financials, bankers said