Vodafone Idea partners with AST SpaceMobile to expand mobile connectivity in remote regions
NEW DELHI: Telecom service provider Vodafone Idea (Vi) on Wednesday announced a partnership with US-based satellite communications company AST SpaceMobile Inc to extend mobile connectivity to unconnected and underserved regions in the country.
AST SpaceMobile offers space-based cellular technology that enables direct connectivity to standard smartphones—without the need for any specialized hardware, software, or updates. Under the partnership, AST SpaceMobile will be responsible for developing, manufacturing and managing the satellite constellation, while Vodafone Idea will oversee terrestrial network integration, spectrum operations and market access.
The new space-based mobile broadband ecosystem is designed to complement Vi's terrestrial telecom services by delivering voice, video, internet access, and data streaming capabilities in areas where traditional mobile infrastructure is difficult to deploy.
'Vi has always been committed to leveraging technology to connect every Indian and we see satellite communication as a complement to terrestrial connectivity. As satellite-based mobile access becomes a reality in India, we are looking forward to ushering in a new era of seamless and resilient connectivity,' said Avneesh Khosla, Chief Marketing Officer, Vi.
The telco in a press note said that India, with over 1.1 billion mobile subscribers, remains one of the world's largest and most dynamic telecom markets. While 4G coverage is widespread and 5G is emerging, satellite communication can fill critical coverage gaps, particularly in geographically challenging regions.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
9 minutes ago
- Hans India
India's exports of pharmaceuticals, textiles, jewellery to US likely to go up after bilateral trade pact
New Delhi: Although the US is India's largest export partner, there is scope to increase exports further in areas such as smartphones, certain pharma products and labour-intensive exports such as textiles and gems and jewellery under the bilateral trade agreement (BTA) between the two countries that is expected to be signed by the fall (September-October) of this year, according to a Crisil report released on Monday. To begin with, India should be prepared to see more imports from the US under the BTA. This is because India's tariffs are much higher than those of the US, and bringing these down would be advantageous to exporters in the US, the report points out. It highlights that the imminent bilateral trade agreement will likely lead to a reduction in India's goods trade surplus with the US. India would be able to import more energy products, defence equipment and certain agricultural products, among others, from the US after the agreement is signed. The report further states that India accounts for only a small part of the USA's imports. India's exports, however, are unlikely to see a major spike because the focus of the Donald Trump administration is to reduce its trade deficit with India, and most of India's top exports to the US are already duty-free (i.e. before the application of baseline 10 per cent, which is applicable since April 10). Besides, the export potential would also depend eventually on the amount of tariff India faces when compared with other competing nations, it added. According to the report, there is some potential to improve. The US is not only the world's largest economy, but also the world's largest importer. In 2024, its goods imports stood at $3.36 trillion (in contrast, China and Germany, the second- and third-largest importing nations, recorded $2.59 trillion and $1.43 trillion worth of goods imports, respectively), according to ITC Trade Map. But India's share in the US's global imports was just 2.7 per cent. Thus, there is some scope for India to increase its exports to the US. The report said that "to understand the areas where India can potentially increase exports to the US, we assess the following two matrices". "Among the top 25 items India exports to the US, products such as diamonds, marine products and bed linen already have a high penetration there. The penetration remains low for others, such as smartphones and certain pharma products. Also, only two of India's top 25 export items faced the most favoured nation (MFN) tariff in 2024; others were duty-free. Clearly, this means Indian goods will have to become more competitive to gain further market share. Though a vast majority of India's exports to the US are duty-free, several products attract MFN tariffs. For instance, out of the US's goods imports of $91.2 billion from India in 2024, $32.9 billion worth of goods (36 per cent) attracted tariffs. The US announced reciprocal tariffs on India and a host of other nations on April 2, 2025, and then paused the increase for 90 days from April 10 to negotiate trade deals with these countries (for India, the reciprocal tariff was 26 per cent, lower than the tariff on many other Asian peers). During the pause period, a 10 per cent base tariff remains applicable (over and above the existing tariffs) on all countries, including India.
Mint
23 minutes ago
- Mint
Colgate-Palmolive eyes H2 rebound amid urban stress, rural growth
New Delhi: Despite a 'tough" March quarter and lingering pressure on many urban consumers, Prabha Narasimhan, managing director and chief executive officer (CEO) of Colgate-Palmolive (India) Ltd, expects a rebound in consumer sentiment and spending in the latter half of the year. She cited government interventions, improved liquidity and a good start to the monsoons as key drivers for this change. 'We're hoping the uptick in consumer sentiment happens towards the back end of the year. The government has intervened, there's been a tax cut, liquidity has improved, monsoons are meant to be quite good this year—all of those should certainly help. We see two pockets of opportunity—the top 30% of urban India has no shortage of money for FMCG products; they continue to want to premiumize. Meanwhile, rural India continues to be buoyant—crops have been good and the sentiment is also positive. However, there is stress in 70% of urban India that has been slightly under pressure," Narasimhan said in an interview with Mint on Monday. Also read: Trent sticks to the long-term goal of growing 25% every year In fiscal 2025, the maker of toothbrushes and body wash reported a 6.3% increase in sales, reaching ₹5,999 crore, compared to ₹5,644 crore in the previous year. The company's profit after tax in FY25 grew by 8.5% to ₹1,437 crore, up from ₹1,324 crore in the previous year. However, the fourth quarter saw a dip in both profit and sales, with net profit down 6.5% to ₹355 crore and revenue declining 2% to ₹1,452 crore. Rural volumes grew ahead of urban for the Mumbai-headquartered company during the fiscal year. The March quarter was 'tough", she said. Analysts attributed this to greater competition and weak urban demand. Managing consumption 'Consumers respond to a feeling of confidence. If they feel a little bit of pressure, then they tend to optimize across all parts of their budget. There are some things that are sacrosanct such as medical and education [expenses]. In the case of oral care, it is management of consumption; it's not through smaller pack sizes or cheaper packs," she told Mint in an interview in the capital. The Indian fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry reported 11% year-on-year value growth in the March quarter, driven by a 5.1% volume increase and a 5.6% price hike, according to data released by NielsenIQ. Also read: Govt may relax registration rules for e-commerce players, traders unhappy Urban market growth decelerated in the March quarter, while rural markets saw an 8.4% volume increase, a slight dip from the December quarter. Other large packaged goods companies such as Procter & Gamble Hygiene and Health Care Ltd, the maker of Whisper, Vicks and Old Spice, gave similar commentary earlier this month. The company reported a steady revival in rural consumption, even as urban demand remains under pressure. The home and personal care category, where Colgate Palmolive operates, saw consumption growth of 5.7% in the March quarter, with higher demand in rural areas, NielsenIQ noted. The company competes with Dabur India and Hindustan Unilever Ltd. Oral care penetration Meanwhile, the maker of Colgate toothpaste and Palmolive body wash continues to increase the usage of oral care products in India. 'We would like to move the needle as far as urban India is concerned—to get the 80% of consumers who don't brush twice a day to brush twice a day. As far as rural India is concerned, the aim is to get the one in two consumers who don't brush daily to brush daily," she said. A decade ago, oral care penetration in India was around 85%. Today, it's close to universal. The company has also been pushing its flagship Oral Health Movement. Also read: P&G Hygiene sees rebound in rural demand, but urban stress persists As part of the same, over 4.5 million Indians screened their oral health in 700 districts. The company spent 14% of its FY25 annual sales on advertising. Narasimhan said the number will remain in the ballpark and within that range in the current fiscal, too. Meanwhile, commenting on global geopolitical volatility, Narasimhan said the company is largely insulated from supply chain disruptions. 'We are a largely 'make in India' for India company, so almost our entire production of both toothpaste and toothbrush is in India across our four plants. We are reasonably self-sufficient in that sense. We've tried very hard to localize, even to source raw materials; to that extent, one is a little bit insulated from all of this. The macro environment has become so volatile that it's just impossible to comment on and it's impossible for us to do anything other than to insulate on a more structural basis as we have done and continue to do," she added.
Mint
23 minutes ago
- Mint
Minister Puri calls for deeper collaboration with Canada on dismantling terrorism
New Delhi: India's petroleum and natural gas minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Monday called for deeper collaboration with Canada to dismantle terrorism and mitigate the risks of radicalization, speaking at the 40th anniversary memorial of the Air India Flight 182 (Kanishka) bombing in Ahakista, Cork, Ireland. Air India Flight 182 was destroyed mid-air by a bomb planted by Canada-based terrorists, killing all 329 on board, including over 80 children, on 23 June 1985. Puri described the tragedy as not an accident but a 'deliberate, heinous act carried out by fringe elements seeking to divide India.' Terrorism and extremism are modern-day threats, Puri said, urging India and Canada to work in tandem through intelligence sharing, counter-radicalisation efforts, and the disruption of terror financing, the ministry of petroleum and natural gas (MoPNG) said in a statement. 'India has suffered the scourge of terrorism for decades — from Jammu & Kashmir to Punjab to Mumbai. Time and again, our people have endured bombings, assassinations, and atrocities,' he said. "Let today's commemoration be a united message—those who spread hate and terror will never prevail over humanity, democracy, and friendship.' Puri also noted that in the aftermath of the tragedy, India and Ireland have developed strong bilateral ties, with trade reaching nearly $16 billion in 2023. He said Indian agencies are working continuously to dismantle terror fronts, with the help of global partners. 'India stands ready to do more. Our security agencies, intelligence apparatus, and diplomatic channels are fully committed to partnering with the world to ensure that such tragedies are never repeated," he said. Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, Canadian Minister of Public Safety Gary Anandasangaree, local Irish officials, first responders, and families of victims were present at the memorial, the MoPNG statement said. The statement comes days after prime minister Narendra Modi's remarks at the G7 summit in Canada earlier this month, calling on all countries to unite against terrorism. Modi had said last week that the Pahalgam terror attack in April was not just an attack on India, but on all humanity. In his address on 17 June, he also called for strict action against those nations that support terrorist outfits. The Pahalgam terror attack on 22 April claimed the lives of 26 tourists in Jammu & Kashmir. In retaliation, India launched 'Operation Sindoor', a counterterrorism operation targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in the early hours of 7 May. Pakistan's military responded by targeting civilian and military infrastructure in India, escalating the conflict, according to multiple briefing by military and external affairs ministry officials. The fighting between India and Pakistan lasted four days, until 10 May, when military officials from both sides negotiated a ceasefire. However, Operation Sindoor remains ongoing, according to PM Modi, who announced a new counterterrorism doctrine for India. In his 12 May address to the nation, Modi said India will retaliate against terrorist attacks on its own terms, will not tolerate nuclear blackmail, and will make no distinction between terrorists and the governments that harbour them.
