New Delhi Jan 24 PTI The government is planning to come up with a policy that will facilitate an ecosystem for the industry to create an indigenous operating system as an alternative to Googles Android and Apples iOS Union Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar said on Monday At present mobile phones are dominated by two operating systems - Googles Android and Apples iOS that are driving the hardware ecosystem as well the minister told PTI in an interview There is no third one Therefore in a lot of ways there is tremendous interest in MeitY and in the Government of India to even create a new handset operating system We are talking to people We are looking at a policy for that Chandrasekhar said He said that the government is looking for capabilities within start-up and academic ecosystems for development of an indigenous operating system OS The operating system is the main software of any computer and mobile device that weaves in the entire hardware and software system for effective functioning of the OS If there is some real capability then we will be very much interested in developing that area because that will create an alternative to iOS and Android which then an Indian brand can grow Chandrasekhar said The minister said that most of the policies and policy tools are being re-looked at in the context of reiamgining goals and ambitions Important is to have clear goals Once we have clear goals and what is that we have to achieve then all the policies and actions will be consistent with it Chandrasekhar said He along with Minister for Communications and IT Ashwani Vaishnaw released the second volume of Vision Document on Electronics Manufacturing prepared by the industry body ICEA whose members include Apple Lava Foxconn Dixon etc The document details a road map for achieving USD 300 billion electronics manufacturing in the country by 2026 from the current level of USD 75 billion This report is very precise which talks about where USD 300 billion will come what industry has to do and what the government needs to do This is an example of how industry and government should set targets for the country The manufacturing will be USD 300 billion and exports worth USD 120 billion will happen This is the government of Indias objective now Chandrasekhar said At present Indias electronics export is around USD 15 billion The minister said it is the desire of the Prime Minister and the goal for the Ministry of Electronics and IT MeitY to create domestic champions in each of the leading product categories He said that the Prime Minister has cleaned up the financial market and India has become one of the largest recipients of foreign direct investment as well as equity The number of foreign banks have increased in India For the first time the stock market and public markets are financing and investing in technology start-ups and companies That kind of transformation has happened Today Lava Dixon or Boat or any of these companies have the ability to raise capital equity which they did not have six years ago the minister said He said that the production-linked incentive tool will continue to encourage various manufacturing segments and it will depend on the definition of technology product and which ministry should govern it PTI PRS MKJ

New Delhi Jan 19 PTITelecomReliance Jio on Wednesday said it haspaid Rs 30791 crore including accrued interest to the Department of Telecom to clear the entire spectrum payments liabilities that the company acquired before March 2021 auctions The payments include the liabilitiespertaining to the spectrum acquired in auctions of year 2014 2015 2016 and the spectrum acquired in the year 2021 through trading of right touse with Bharti Airtel Limited the company said Reliance Jio Infocomm RJIL haspaid Rs 30791 crore including accrued interest to the Department of Telecom towardsprepayment of the entire deferred liabilities pertaining to spectrum acquired in auctions ofyear 2014 2015 2016 and the spectrum acquired in year 2021 through trading of right to use with Bharti Airtel the company said in a statementThe company had acquired 5853 MHz spectrum through these auctions and tradingThe company estimates that the above prepayments will result in interest cost savings ofaround Rs 1200 crore annually at the current interest rates the statement saidReliance Jio has cleared all dues even after government has given options to telecom operator of availing four years moratorium on all spectrum related payments RJIL had executed the first tranche of prepayment on the anniversary date in the monthof October 2021 pertaining to spectrum acquired in auction in the year 2016 Subsequentto Department of Telecoms decision in the month of December 2021 providing the telcosthe flexibility to prepay their deferred spectrum liabilities on any date RJIL has nowprepaid in the month of January 2022 the entire deferred liabilities acquired in auction inthe year 2014 and 2015 as well as the spectrum acquired through trading These liabilities were due in annual instalments from financial year 2022-23 to 2034-2035 andcarried interest rate between 930 to 10 per cent per annum with an average residual period of more than seven years Bharti Airtel last month paid Rs 15519 crore to the Department of Telecom towards prepayment of the entire deferred liabilities pertaining to spectrum acquired in auction of year 2014 PTI PRS SRY