Scindia Says OTT Regulation Falls Under I&B Ministry, Not DoT

Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has clarified that the Information & Broadcasting Ministry is responsible for regulating OTT platforms, as the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) examines issues raised by telecom operators about sharing infrastructure costs with these platforms. This follows a day after OTT platforms like Netflix and Amazon, along with content delivery giants such as Universal Studios and Warner Bros, voiced their opposition to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)'s proposal to regulate them during an open house discussion. These platforms argue that they are not telecom operators and should not be subject to TRAI’s regulatory scope. Telecom operators have been pressing the government to implement rules requiring OTTs to share infrastructure costs, as telecom infrastructure expansion struggles to keep up with the surge in data consumption.

Additionally, Minister Scindia highlighted the government's initiative to establish a dedicated telecom manufacturing zone, aiming to boost domestic telecom equipment production. He emphasized that telecom manufacturing is crucial for the sector, and in line with Prime Minister Modi's vision, India must become Atmanirbhar (self-reliant). The proposal is for a manufacturing zone similar to SEZs (Special Economic Zones), specifically for the telecom industry.