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Centre approves ₹493 crore for India's first Telecom Manufacturing Zone in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior

Swarajya 2 weeks ago

Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia today announced that India's first Telecom Manufacturing Zone will be established in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh.

The Department of Telecommunications and the Madhya Pradesh government signed a memorandum of understanding at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi, with Chief Minister Mohan Yadav attending the ceremony alongside senior officials from both governments.

The zone will be developed over nearly 350 acres on a plug-and-play model, with the Centre having approved ₹493 crore as complete financial assistance for creating core infrastructure during the first phase. The integrated manufacturing zone will include facilities for research, development and production of mobile phones, telecom network equipment, fibre optic products, semiconductors, and next-generation 5G and 6G technologies. Unlike traditional Special Economic Zones designed primarily for export promotion, the TMZ is intended to spur a manufacturing ecosystem for telecom equipment and allied technologies by enabling investments, innovation, and encouraging indigenous design and manufacturing.

Scindia described the initiative as creating "an ecosystem only for the telecom sector, for data centres, for chip manufacturers" with a comprehensive plug-and-play system. The project would strengthen domestic manufacturing capabilities whilst helping position India as a global hub for telecom equipment production, boosting telecom manufacturing and attracting investments, generating employment and creating opportunities for innovation and exports.

The Madhya Pradesh government estimates the zone could attract over ₹12,000 crore in investments and create approximately 5,000 jobs once fully operational. The project would complement national initiatives such as the India Semiconductor Mission and Electronics Component Schemes by creating an integrated ecosystem that brings research, innovation and manufacturing under one umbrella, whilst attracting large-scale investments and providing opportunities for micro, small and medium enterprises and startups engaged in the electronics and telecom sectors.

The minister stated that India is likely to secure representation in the standards-setting framework of the International Telecommunication Union and the 3rd Generation Partnership Project for the first time. The Telecom Manufacturing Zone is expected to serve as a catalyst for the growth of telecom equipment manufacturers, technology companies, MSMEs, start-ups, and other stakeholders across the telecom value chain, generating substantial employment opportunities, enhancing regional industrial development, strengthening supply chain resilience, and positioning India as a global hub for telecom manufacturing and innovation.

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