By Telecom Lead Team: The Indian Telecom Equipment
Manufacturers Association (TEMA) in a communication to the Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh and Minister of Communications & IT, Kapil Sibal have drawn
the attention of government of India to the recent state of the union address
of President Barack Obama in which he pointed out the importance of creating a
strong manufacturing base within America so as to beat the economic downturn by
creating more jobs and prosperity in the U.S.
According to the communication sent to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and
the Minster of Communications & IT, TEMA pointed out to the statement which
was part of the State of the Union Address: If you’re an American
manufacturer, you should get a bigger tax cut. If you’re a high-tech
manufacturer, we should double the tax deduction you get for making products
here.”
TEMA as an association has been communicating to the GOI about the need for a
strong telecom equipment manufacturing base in the interest of our Country not
only from the economic point of view, but from national security point of view
also. It is an irony, that what we have been wanting our Government to
implement. The Americans have spelt it out and we are sure they will implement
much before us. It is a kind of wakeup call for us,” said Ashok K Aggarwal,
director general, Telecom Equipment Manufacturers Association.
According to TEMA’s communication, the statements made by Obama during his
Address to the Nation has provided ample clues as to what India needs to do to
revitalize the economy, create jobs in the country and generate wealth. The
foremost action seems to be none other than the upliftment of the manufacturing
sector.
TEMA in its earlier communications to PMO’s office has
been sharing the same school of thought and similar sentiments on this dire
need of the country to promote and boost the indigenous manufacturing sector
especially in the field of telecom which has a tremendous potential ahead
(Estimated market size Rs 250,000 crore by 2020).
We feel that it is time for the GOI to initiate tough
measures so as to bring the manufacturing sector to a level wherein we become
self-reliant and a telecom equipment exporting nation with a special focus on
promoting telecom equipments designed, developed and manufactured in India,”
Aggarwal added.
The manufacturing sector is one of the biggest sectors, which, once revived can
contribute significantly to the creation of jobs in the country. It will not
only save precious foreign exchange but shall help to earn foreign exchange
through export of telecom equipment to other nations and make India
self-reliant. Growth of the telecom manufacturing sector would also provide
impetus to the growth of the electronics and component manufacturing industry
which would provide vital inputs to the telecom manufacturing industry.
