“Our digital model in India is dependent on public – private partnerships. There are models which are helping control the digital economy through the private sector,” said Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Minister of Electronics and Information Technology, Communications, and Railways, at the highly anticipated event Google for India 2023 on Thursday in Delhi.
Vaishnaw highlighted that India ranks among the top two 5G ecosystems. “Today, we are not only manufacturing them, we are also designing those equipment and by now we are exporting complex telecom equipment to 14 countries, including USA and Europe. So, that’s the journey which has happened in the last nine years by which our Prime Minister’s vision of India, leader in technology, leader in digital things are actually playing out. We will be among the major contributors to the development of 6G technology,” he added.
He said that semiconductors are very important to India’s digital strategy. He also emphasized on electronics manufacturing, innovation partners, and presence of startups. He mentioned that the first semiconductor plant’s development has been started by Micron.
India's electronics manufacturing ecosystem
After tech-giant Google announced that it will manufacture its Pixel smartphones in India, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, the initiave was a reflection of how the entire ecosystem in the country had now matured and people have developed trust.
Vaishnaw told ANI "Just about nine years back electronics manufacturing was negligible in the country. Mobile manufacturing was practically not there, almost 98 per cent of mobile phones that we used were imported. In a short time span of nine years, our PM Modi's vision of 'Digital India', 'Make in India' and 'Startup India' this bouquet of programs has established India as a trusted value chain partner." Expressing his happiness about Google's announcement, Vaishnaw said, "Practically every big electronics manufacturer is setting up its design in India." He further emphasized that domestic manufacturers in the country are also scaling up.
"This is a very big achievement because getting the big manufacturers to set up their base in India means the entire ecosystem has now matured. People have developed their trust. Our own domestic manufacturers are scaling up," Vaishnaw said.
"I can share with you that one factory near Delhi, which is going to start soon, that factory will have 20,000 people working in a single factory, that is the kind of change that is happening today," the Electronics and Information Technology minister said.
Alphabet Inc announced at the concluding day today of the 'Google for India 2023', the ninth edition of its annual India-specific event it will begin manufacturing its Pixel smartphones in India.
The devices, starting with Pixel 8, are expected to begin rolling out in markets from 2014, Rick Osterloh, senior vice president of devices and services, Google, said at the event.
Semiconductors
Vaishnaw emphasised that semiconductors has been a very important part of the strategy launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015.
"Well, semiconductor forms a very, very important part of the entire strategy that the Prime Minister launched in 2015. The strategy has multiple components-- one of the components is making India which is where the electronics manufacturing, and designing, all these points take place. Tensor--which is the heart and brain of Google Pixel phones- has been designing in India," Vaishnaw said.
Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google today underlined Google's commitment to India's digital growth and innovation. In a post on X shared during the Google for India 2023 event Pichai said Google was committed to be a trusted partner in India's digital growth.
(With inputs from ANI)
