Telecom gear makers push for more incentives

Indian telecom equipment makers have asked the government to provide incentives for increasing value addition in manufacturing to reduce their dependence on imports, even as some companies have begun making fixed wireless access equipment that will be in high demand in India and other global markets.

- Gulveen Aulakh

In a meeting with senior ministry officials last week, companies making equipment in India suggested providing direct financial incentives to reduce dependence on imports, two people aware of the development said.

“There are companies already making telecom equipment here, for instance, players like HFCL and Tejas Networks, among others. While local production is going up, we’re still importing most of the components. The government should provide some support for local manufacturing of these components," said one of the people aware of the details of the deliberations.