Budget 2019 is a step towards making India 5G-ready by 2020, says Rajan Mathews, DG COAI

Budget 2019 India: The Union Budget is a clear articulation of the government’s ambitions to bring India to the global forefront. It was expected the government may announce stimulus measures to boost economic growth, which has faced headwinds lately.

The telecom sector, which contributes 6% to GDP, has been reeling under acute financial crisis due to shrinking revenues and rising debt from past spectrum auctions. It was crucial the government announce some relief for the beleaguered industry, which is also battling high GST slab, spectrum cost burden and intense competition.