National Digital Communications Policy 2018

As the present world has entered the era of modern technological advancements in the Telecom Sector such as 5G, loT, M2M etc., a need was being felt to introduce a 'customer focused' and 'application driven' policy for the Indian Telecom Sector, which can form the main pillar of Digital India by addressing emerging opportunities for expanding not only the availability of telecom services but also telecom based services.

Accordingly, the new National Digital Communications Policy - 2018 has been formulated, in place of the existing National Telecom Policy-2012, to cater to the modern needs of the digital communications sector of India.

Objectives

The key objectives of the policy are:

• Broadband for all;
• Creating four million additional jobs in the Digital Communications sector;
• Enhancing the contribution of the Digital Communications sector to 8% of India's GDP from ~ 6% in 2017;
• Propelling India to the Top 50 Nations in the ICT Development Index of ITU from 134 in 2017;
• Enhancing India's contribution to Global Value Chains; and
• Ensuring Digital Sovereignty.

These objectives are to be achieved by 2022.

Vision

To fulfil the information and communication needs of citizens and enterprises through the establishment of a ubiquitous, resilient, secure, accessible and affordable Digital Communications Infrastructure and Services; and in the process, support India’s transition to a digitally empowered economy and society.

Missions

In pursuit of accomplishing these objectives by year 2022, the National Digital Communications Policy, 2018 envisages three Missions

1. Connect India : Creating Robust Digital Communications Infrastructure To promote Broadband for All as a tool for socio-economic development, while ensuring service quality and environmental sustainability.
2. Propel India : Enabling Next Generation Technologies and Services through Investments, Innovation and IPR generation To harness the power of emerging digital technologies, including 5G, AI, IoT, Cloud and Big Data to enable provision of future ready products and services; and to catalyse the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0) by promoting Investments, Innovation and IPR.
3. Secure India : Ensuring Sovereignty, Safety and Security of Digital Communications To secure the interests of citizens and safeguard the digital sovereignty of India with a focus on ensuring individual autonomy and choice, data ownership, privacy and security; while recognizing data as a crucial economic resource.

Features

The policy aims to

• Provide universal broadband connectivity at 50 Mbps to every citizen;
• Provide 1 Gbps connectivity to all Gram Panchayats by 2020 and 10 Gbps by 2022;
• Ensure connectivity to all uncovered areas;
• Attract investments of USD 100 billion in the Digital Communications Sector;
• Train one million manpower for building New Age Skill;
• Expand IoT ecosystem to 5 billion connected devices;
• Establish a comprehensive data protection regime for digital communications that safeguards the privacy, autonomy and choice of individuals;
• Facilitate India's effective participation in the global digital economy;
• Enforce accountability through appropriate institutional mechanisms to assure citizens of safe and
• Secure digital communications infrastructure and services.

Strategy

The policy advocates:-

• Establishment of a National Digital Grid by creating a National Fibre Authority;
• Establishing Common Service Ducts and utility corridors in all new city and highway road projects;
• Creating a collaborative institutional mechanism between Centre, States and Local Bodies for Common Rights of Way, standardization of costs and timelines;
• Removal of barriers to approvals; and
• Facilitating development of Open Access Next Generation Networks.

To access the complete Policy document, click here.

Source : Department of Telecommunications