Domestic, global telecom gear makers spar over new 'value addition' norms

Angry protests by domestic companies force telecom dept to put its formula, welcomed by foreign companies, on hold

A battle is brewing between domestic telecom players and global telecom gear makers over the contentious eligibility conditions for participating in tenders under the Public Procurement (Preference to Make in India) policy and government contracts.

The former allege that the method of calculating ‘local value addition’ introduced by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) in its August circular works against them and is ‘anti-Atmanirbhar Bharat’ (selfreliant India). This protest has impelled the DoT to put the August notification under abeyance, as stated in a subsequent memorandum on September 27.

In the August circular, the DoT clarified that printed circuit boards assembled in India