Indian authorities are open to reaching a compromise on the price of spectrum ahead of the country’s first auction in three years, addressing a major complaint of cash-strapped operators in the country. In August, the Confederation of Indian Industry warned a high reserve price on 5G bands will put further pressure on operators’ earnings and slow the overall growth of the sector.
Speaking at the India Mobile Congress, communications and IT minister Ravi Shankar acknowledged the government is aware of operators’ concerns regarding the high cost of spectrum, but noted a procedural review around fees and the amount to be sold is ongoing. He added that an auction will take place by the close of the current financial year, which runs to end-March 2020, and that precise details on the timing will be announced soon.
Government proposals will see up to 3,000MHz of spectrum offered across eight bands, two of which will be for 5G.
Last updated: December 26th, 2025
