Telecom leaders push for policy reforms on data localization, AI, satellite services at India Mobile Congress

As India’s digital infrastructure rapidly evolves, telecom leaders are advocating for policy reforms to ensure localization of critical data, support artificial intelligence (AI) adoption, and expand satellite services across the nation. Speaking at the 8th edition of the India Mobile Congress, industry heavyweights outlined the need for swift regulatory action to enhance competitiveness and secure India's place in the global digital economy.

Akash Ambani, chairman of Reliance Jio, urged the government to expedite updates to India’s data centre policy, emphasizing the importance of keeping critical data within the country. He called for incentives for Indian companies setting up AI and machine learning data centres, focusing on reducing power consumption and providing support to ensure Indian businesses can offer solutions to global markets.

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“We request the government to expedite the updating of the 2020 draft of the data centre policy (to ensure) that Indian data should remain in India data centres…Indian companies ready to set up AI and machine learning data centres should get all necessary incentives, including incentives for power consumption,” he said.

He also stressed the quick adoption of AI across industries such as manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, and education—sectors where AI's potential could transform productivity and innovation. 

Reliance Jio, India’s largest telecom services provider, has been actively introducing AI models and services at affordable prices for Indian consumers, paving the way for broader AI democratization.

Bharti Airtel chairman Sunil Mittal emphasized the role telecom companies can play in delivering satellite services to India’s most remote areas. He advocated for funding through the Universal Services Obligation Fund (USOF) to extend satellite services and urged that satellite companies seeking to serve urban, elite customers should operate under the same regulatory framework as telecom operators.

“Those satellite companies which have ambitions to come into urban area serving elite retail customers, just need to take the telecom licences like everybody else, be bound with the same conditions. They need to buy the spectrum as the telecom companies buy, they need to pay the licence fee, as telecom companies do, and also secure the networks, like telecom companies do. This is a simple solution, which can be done on a global scale, and India can again show the way in this particular regard,” Mittal said.

Mittal-backed OneWeb Eutelsat is preparing to launch satellite services in India but is currently awaiting spectrum allocation. Mittal has advocated for spectrum allocation through direct methods, bypassing the traditional auction process. This approach aligns with the new Indian telecom law, which allows for direct spectrum allocation specifically for satellite broadband services.

Vodafone Idea chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla also weighed in, highlighting the company’s recent ₹18,000 crore fundraising, which has enabled it to launch a capital expenditure cycle. This includes the first phase of capex deals worth $3.6 billion with Nokia, Ericsson, and Samsung for the supply of network equipment over the next three years.

“These are all key steps that place Vi on a more secure footing and ensure that the industry remains dynamic and competitive,” he said.

He also stressed the importance of combating spam, fraud, and phishing scams, an issue increasingly relevant as mobile networks expand and become more ubiquitous.

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“In collaboration with the government and regulatory bodies Vi is making significant strides in combatting this menace. Vodafone Idea is committed to bringing new and innovative solutions that will fundamentally address spam and fraud at the core. Public awareness campaigns, too, are helping to educate users about how to identify and avoid scams,” Birla added.