A controversial call: What does 5G spectrum auction delay mean for India?

Industry arguments over allocations and auctions for satellite airwaves have ended up delaying the launch of 5G

Discussing the prospect of more reform earlier this month, telecom minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced a delay in the 5G spectrum auction. India’s telecom sector regulation has to be benchmarked with the global best, he said. It’s another matter that many countries have either introduced or are about to roll out 5G services that will enable cutting-edge tech in diverse areas. For India, too, it will mean a lot for healthcare, robotics and unleashing a new chapter in Digital India perhaps. A delay in 5G auctions would, in fact, imply keeping many telecom-linked reforms on hold.

So far, China has built