The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) welcomes the draft National Digital Communications Policy, 2018, released on 1 May for public consultations. The association said that it is a very ambitious policy and even if five of these targets are met by 2022, then it would have made significant contribution to the digital economy.

According to IAMAI, the optimistic goals set for 2022 such as provision of broadband for all; creating 4 million additional jobs in the digital communications sector; enhancing the contribution of the digital communications sector to 8% of India’s GDP and propelling India to the top 50 nations in the ICT Development Index of ITU, are socially relevant, clearly articulated and embraces the contribution of India to the digital communications economy of the world.

With access being the main problem in India today, it is laudable that the policy sets out to create a robust digital communications infrastructure by 2022. The goals to provide Universal broadband coverage at 50 Mbps to every citizen; provide 1 Gbps connectivity to all Gram Panchayats by 2020 and 10 Mbps by 2022; enable 100 Mbps broadband on demand to all key development institutions etc are crucial policy initiatives, which will address the problem of access.

IAMAI, in a press note, has also welcomed the policy initiative enabling next generation technologies and services through investment, innovation, indigenous manufacturing and IPR.

According to IAMAI, the goals are ambitious. It is prudent to keep the ambitions right given the rapid growth of this sector.