Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar said that more than 97 per cent of mobile phones including smartphones currently used in the country are manufactured in India itself. Indirectly applauding the success of the Make in India initiative, Chandrasekhar said, “In 2014, over 92 per cent of mobile phones used in India were imported, today over 97 per cent of mobile phones used in India are made in India. Today we export electronic devices worth $12 billion (roughly Rs. 98,800 crores).” The minister was speaking at the CyFY 2022, an Observer Research Foundation (ORF) event.
While speaking at the same event, the MoS IT also said that the upcoming data protection bill is going to be extremely “simple and modern.”
The minister reminded everyone at the gathering that the right to privacy and data protection are integral to the fundamental rights of the country and the upcoming data protection bill be the first progressive step from the government in enshrining these into the lives of people. The next Budget Session of the Parliament in February next year is when the Centre is planning to table the new personal data protection bill. The Centre withdrew the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2021 in August saying that “a comprehensive legal framework” would be replacing the bill.
Chandrasekhar is also the Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. At the same event, the minister also touched upon the progress India has made in the semiconductor space. The minister said that the country has emerged as a “local hub for talent and innovation when it comes to the semiconductor and micro electronics industries.” He also added that India would soon become “a global centre of the innovation economy.”
“India also has a blueprint in place to advance the semiconductor space,” he said.
Talking of the global supply chains, the minister said, “Global supply chains need to be shaped not just by efficiency and affordability but also by values and trust. Democratic nations must take the lead in shaping the future of the internet.”
Rajeev Chandrasekhar even spoke about the resilience India’s start-up culture has displayed. According to the minister, the start-up ecosystem is a significant part of the Government of India’s vision of building a “new India.” He said, “India has a large number of startups focused on the next generation of device and technology design and added that India has taken the landmark decision to keep its internet open, but certain boundary conditions must apply.”
While speaking of Indian start-ups and technology, the minister said that when the country was the most crucial point, it took the wise decision of keeping its internet open. However, this open policy also calls for certain regulations and boundaries. He added, “Safety, security and trust are a must. There needs to be a coalition of consensus around these boundary conditions.”
Appreciating India’s feat with technology, the minister said that never in the history of the world has man seen innovation on the size and scale India is performing. Speaking of India’s future endeavour with Web 3.0, he added, “India is keen to lead the charge into Web 3.0, but issues around online gaming and crypto need to be wisely managed. An environment of safety and trust must be built, without stifling innovation,” he said.
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