Charting the path from ‘Make-in-India’ to ‘Made-in-India’ with Industry 4.0

India’s progressive strides towards Industry 4.0 have been catalyzed by the introduction of 5G services. The high-speed, low-latency connectivity offered by 5G underpins the integration of advanced technologies such as IoT and AI into manufacturing processes. By fostering the establishment of smart factories that are efficient, predictive and interconnected, 5G stands as a cornerstone of the digital industrial revolution in India. The advanced features of 5G, such as network slicing, massive machine-type communications (mMTC) allowing connections up to 1 million devices per square kilometer, enhanced authentication, edge computing and massive bandwidth, offer unprecedented flexibility for Industry 4.0.

MeitY’s Digital Blueprint: Architecting a Tech-Forward Nation
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has been at the forefront of India’s journey towards Industry 4.0. The recent initiatives by MeitY encapsulate the vision of a Digital India, aiming to ensure that every Indian reaps the benefits of the digital age:

1. Strengthening the Digital Foundations: MeitY actively supports the essential components of the digital era: hardware and software. By promoting the expansion of knowledge-driven enterprises, the ministry seeks to amplify IT exports and boost India’s international tech competitiveness.
2. Promoting Local Production through PLI: Realizing the significance of in-house electronics production, MeitY introduced the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme. Specifically designed for expansive electronics manufacturing, it provides incentives ranging from 4%-6% on additional sales of products made in India. This would support qualifying companies for 5 years following the base year, cultivating an encouraging environment for electronics production nationally.
3. Paving the Way for Robotics and Automation: Looking ahead, MeitY has outlined a detailed National Strategy on Robotics. This plan emphasizes the crucial role of robotics automation in key areas, such as manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare and national defense. Moreover, it promotes creative financial channels for robotics startups, ensuring they are equipped to introduce their innovations to the market and strengthen the overarching infrastructure.
4. Advocating for Cloud Adoption: Strategically, under the MeghRaj initiative, MeitY has endorsed a ‘Cloud First’ stance. This requires all government sectors to assess and, when viable, migrate to cloud solutions. To aid this transition, MeitY has presented thorough guidelines to facilitate the cloud services incorporation across diverse departments.
5. Launching the Smart Manufacturing Competency Centre (SMCC): In a joint effort with the Centre of Excellence – IoT & AI, the Government of Gujarat and NASSCOM, MeitY established the SMCC in Ahmedabad, designed as a focal point for startups and tech vendors to showcase their groundbreaking solutions to industry leaders. It presents a concrete preview of the digital tools that can revolutionize efficiency, safety and productivity in manufacturing facilities.

Balancing Tech Advancements with Customer-Centricity
Today’s networks have undergone a paradigm shift from the earlier 4G systems. While technological advancements drive them, it’s imperative to recognize that in the current digital age, the customer reigns supreme. Every innovation, every upgrade should be envisioned keeping the end-user in mind.

However, this emphasis on customer-centricity doesn’t overshadow the intrinsic business model of TSPs, which remains predominantly network-focused. While the Indian telecom industry remains committed to help realise the progressive objective of a digitally inclusive India, as envisioned by MeitY, it would necessitate developing telecom networks of requisite quality and reach to achieve optimum results from the 5G technology, to ensure that customer benefits are maximized without compromising the holistic vision of a Digital India. Therefore, it becomes imperative to find ways to help raise the capex required by the TSPs to meet the current and upcoming digital demands.

Technical and Commercial Backbone for a Digital India
Realizing this ambitious vision necessitates a two-fold support system – technical and commercial.

Technical Support: Beyond research and development, there’s an imminent need to erect robust networks, which implies not just enhancing existing networks, but also provisioning for additional efficient spectrum to accommodate the rising needs. Prioritizing the 6 GHz band for IMT services could be a monumental step towards optimizing the delivery of 5G, 5G Advanced and the future 6G services.

Commercial Support: In addition to the concerns of the TSPs over the high taxes and levies imposed on the sector which need to be reduced, there’s another broader perspective to consider from a long-term view. The services which are delivered over the networks – whose quality can be either accentuated or hampered by the network quality, brings the role of Large Traffic Generators (LTGs) into the spotlight. These LTGs, which rely heavily on telecom networks for their operations, are required to partner in rolling out the networks.

The economic terrain for TSPs is becoming increasingly challenging. On one hand, their capital expenditures are skyrocketing; while on the other hand, they grapple with diminishing returns on these massive investments. Some Indian TSPs are yet to achieve a break-even point, wherein their investments are matched by profits. For a few, this financial gap continues to widen. Thus, there is a dire need for adding these supportive pillars of the Indian Telecom Industry.

From Make-in-India to Made-in-India
The Government’s thrust on ‘Make-in-India’, and the eventual objective to evolve to ‘Made-in-India’, is evident with a slew of initiatives introduced to encourage and facilitate the development of a robust, world-class and self-sufficient, Atmanirbhar manufacturing and supply chain ecosystem in the country, gradually positioning India as a global leader and export hub as well. This commendable aspiration necessitates fostering an ecosystem where Indian companies – both big and small, receive adequate support to be able to fulfill their potential and emerge as successful, profitable ventures which contribute to the economy and nation-building.

Indian telcos have led India’s digital revolution by facilitating equitable and inclusive socio-economic development by enabling ubiquitous and affordable connectivity across the nation. Their efforts need to be complemented via responsible fair-share contributions from such services which exploit the Indian telecom networks to benefit/profit immensely – such as the large OTT Service providers, majorly owned by global technology giants. A fair and equitable contribution from these large foreign entities will also relieve the pressure on consumer prices for communication services. Needless to say, Indian Startups and MSMEs are not intended to make such contributions, so as to help foster innovation and entrepreneurship, as envisioned by our Hon’ble Prime Minister. In fact, a fair-share contribution from LTGs would ensure that smaller players enjoy the advantages of improved network quality.

The Promise of the Future: 6G and Beyond
Despite the myriad challenges, there’s a silver lining. As the global tech community ardently hunts for the next big “killer app”, there’s hope that the genesis of the 6G killer app might find its roots under the efforts of MeitY, in addition to the commendable strides being made in R&D, standards development, among others.

It is anticipated that the eventual breakthrough for a killer app would most possibly happen in the application layer (i.e., OTT platforms or deep tech) and will primarily benefit these riders of the network. We will, of course, explore how the TSPs could find a way to benefit from the cutting-edge use cases of 6G apps.

Furthermore, with the escalating demands and potential data-heavy applications expected to emerge in 6G, it’s imperative to recognize the future needs and the existing necessities for a sturdy and capable infrastructure to be put in place. A supportive ecosystem with responsible contributions from all stakeholders is essential to meet these demands and lay the foundation for the next generation of connectivity.

As a final observation, with the unwavering commitment of stakeholders, the promise of a connected, efficient Digital India is not just a distant dream but a tangible reality in the making. As these digital narratives unfold, they will weave the tapestry of a modern India, resilient and resplendent in its digital avatar, turning aspirations of a technologically empowered society into a living reality.