TRAI issues recommendations on promoting local manufacturing in the TV broadcasting sector

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)has issued its recommendations on "Promoting Local Manufacturing in the Television Broadcasting Sector".

TRAI had issued a consultation paper on "Promoting Local Manufacturing in the Television Broadcasting Sector" on December 22, 2021, for seeking comment of all the stakeholders.

The last date for submission of comments was January 19, 2022, and counter comments, if any by February 2, 2022, which was extended on the request of stakeholders up to February 9, 2022, respectively.

TRAI received 16 comments from stakeholders and 01 counter comment, which are available on the TRAI website. In this regard, an Open House Discussion was also held on April 28, 2022, through video conference.

After considering all comments received from stakeholders during the consultation process and further analysis of the issues, the authority has finalised its recommendations as given below:

1. There is a need to focus on emerging technologies and tenets of the era of convergence and aim at building an ecosystem for broadcast equipment. Centre of Excellence may be established for broadcast equipment or existing Telecom Centres of Excellence may be upgraded to focus on broadcast equipment as well.
2. Enable organisations like the Telecom Export Promotion Council (TEPC) or some similarly placed organisations to promote and facilitate exports of locally manufactured broadcast equipment.
3. The Telecom Engineering Centre (TEC), Department of Telecommunications should be mandated to test and standardise all the broadcast equipment.
4. Strengthen existing R&D Centres in the public sector, such as C-DOT. Develop local R&D ecosystem along with industry participation through the PPP route. Create 'Technology development Fund' to promote R&D and development of local products/technologies for the broadcasting Sector. Incentivize the use of local CAS, review the outcome of such measures to promote R&D and standardisation.
5. A go-to-market strategy may also be adopted for the products developed through local R&D.
6. Linear Set-up boxes should be brought under PLI scheme.
7. Periodically review the availability of indigenous components required for broadcasting equipment including chipsets. The availability of local components shall be taken into consideration while setting the localisation levels under the PLI scheme. Review the investment outlay required for obtaining benefits under the PLI scheme with a view to promoting manufacturing by MSME for some selected equipment as may be identified from time to time.
8. Promote local manufacturing of other relevant components of the television broadcasting sector along the lines of the Semicon India Program.
9. Define the scope of 'local manufacturing' for different equipment categories in the television broadcasting sector in terms of the percentage of locally sourced components/ services.
10. Review FTAs and such agreements with regard to their impact on local manufacturing in the television broadcasting sector.

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