The Times of India, 29.10.10, IT Power MoU on a JV may be signed during Russian IT minister's visit to India
Connecting anew with 3G networks, WiMax chips
India and Russia may set up a joint venture for producing telecom hardware even as the Indian government readies to roll out 3G and WiMax broadband in the country.
When India’s Telecom and IT Minister A. Raja visited Russia recently, he went to the Mikron factory of SITRONICS, a Russian company which has been supplying RUIM cards to India since last year. “We have a long-standing and close relationship with the Russian Federation, and we are sure that the exchange of experience and initiatives will be extremely useful. We believe
that our joint work will help to bring communications to the masses,” he said. “We will welcome technical and financial contribution from Russia in the JV." This was the first indication that India and Russia may be partnering in a joint venture to produce chips for 3G and WiMax cellular network. “Russia is one of the first countries where commercial mobile WiMax networks have started operating. They are now in operation in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Sochi and
other major cities. We believe that this technology is completely ready for exporting,” Russia’s IT Minister Igor Shchegolev told Raja. Informed sources disclosed that a memorandum of understanding may be signed during a return visit to India by the Russian minister. There
may be talk about both importing high-tech equipment for WiMax and also helping India to create a new communications operator and to roll out 3G networks. Foreign investment in micro-electronics, says SITRONICS vice president Irina Lanina, will boost the industry.
“Apart from us, the countries with a capacity to produce chips for 3G and WiMax are the USA, China and Korea,” a source explained. “But in the case of the US, transferring technologies may cost India too much while there are certain political disagreements with China, and the
Korean technologies may require additional development.” The source indicated that if a
decision is taken to set up a joint venture in the field of communications without technology transfer, the Sistema joint stock financial corporation, which is already operating in the Indian market, is most likely to be an active player.
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