Do walkie-talkies still beat mobile phones when it comes to speed and reliability? Can a city manage garbage, track fleets, and even respond to emergencies all with a single system? Uncovering tech, challenges, and innovations, Paresh Shetty from Arya Omnitalk answers these questions to EFY’s Vidushi Saxena.
Q. Can you describe the entity Arya Omnitalk and how it is connected to Arvind and JM Bakshi?
A. Arya Omnitalk is a 50:50 joint venture between Arvind Ltd and the JM Baxi Group. Alongside it, we manage Syntel by Arvind, a wholly owned subsidiary of Arvind. Headquartered in Ahmedabad, Arvind is one of the world’s largest textile manufacturers, producing 70–80 per cent of global denim. Valued at around two billion dollars, the group has diversified into composites, advanced materials, real estate, telecom, and IT through Arya Omnitalk and Syntel. JM Baxi, a century-old organisation, specialises in shipping, logistics, and port management. Together, Arvind’s industrial and technological expertise and JM Baxi’s logistics strengths underpin Arya Omnitalk, while Syntel remains entirely under Arvind’s ownership.
Q. What walkie-talkie and communication services does Arya Omnitalk provide?
A. At Arya Omnitalk, we provide a wide range of communication services in partnership with Motorola, which we represent in India. Our walkie-talkie business is built on three distinct technologies. Let me brief about them:
The first is the Public Mobile Radio Trunk. This service operates under a government license, for which we have established transmission sites across various cities. Currently, we hold licenses in eighteen cities, where our infrastructure supports multiple customers in each location. With the passing of the new telecom bill, additional frequencies have been made available to us, enabling an expansion into twenty to thirty cities over time. This technology is designed to provide city-wide communication, though its coverage remains restricted to within that city.
The second model is the Captive Mobile Radio Trunk, meant for enterprises that operate within a large private area, such as a factory, mine, or port. In this case, the customer owns the network infrastructure, while we support them by setting up the system and supplying radios. The result is a secure, independent communication network that works seamlessly within their premises.
The third and latest solution rides on the cellular network. Developed by a Motorola-acquired software company based in Bengaluru, this system works through an app and SIM card, effectively transforming a mobile phone into a walkie-talkie. Because it runs on existing cellular and Wi-Fi networks, there is no need to install separate infrastructure. The first two technologies are geographically limited; however, this model enables communication on a national and even international scale.
Q. What security and surveillance solutions do you offer in addition to walkie-talkie services?
A. Arya Omnitalk brings advanced security and surveillance solutions to India through Motorola’s global product portfolio. This includes body-worn cameras, which have already been introduced for use by police, defence, retail, and private security personnel. We also provide the HALO smart sensor, a multi-sensor device that detects air quality issues, vaping, aggression, gunshots, or verbal distress calls, and integrates with other systems such as CCTV, radios, or body-worn cameras. Widely used in schools, hospitals, and industrial facilities overseas, it is now being introduced in India. In addition, Arya Omnitalk offers premium CCTV solutions through Motorola’s acquisitions of Pelco and Avigilon, globally recognised as leaders in high-end surveillance technology. Together, these solutions strengthen our position as a provider of comprehensive communication, safety, and security services.
Q. What vehicle tracking solutions has Arya Omnitalk built?
A. Arya Omnitalk has developed an indigenous vehicle tracking platform called Fleet Vigil, built entirely in-house with our own hardware, software, and backend systems. We were among the first to introduce such solutions in India over fifteen years ago, and today we track nearly 100,000 vehicles daily.
Our solutions are widely used by oil companies such as IOCL (Indian Oil Corporation Limited), HPCL (Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited), and BPCL (Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited) to monitor fuel transportation trucks. The system provides real-time tracking, geo-fencing, and instant alerts for route deviations or unscheduled halts. To address fuel pilferage, we designed fuel sensors that detect unauthorised withdrawals. For safety, we introduced an AI-powered driver monitoring system that identifies drowsiness, mobile phone use, or alcohol consumption and immediately alerts the driver in the local language to prevent accidents.
Q. Do you have your own manufacturing plant?
A. At present, Arya Omnitalk does not operate its own manufacturing facility. We source all our products directly from Motorola. Looking ahead, we are in discussions with Motorola regarding their ‘Make in India’ initiative. For high-volume products, there is a strong possibility of future local manufacturing in India, though this is still under evaluation.
Q. What are the benefits of walkie-talkies?
A. Walkie-talkies are widely used across industries for instant, reliable, and secure communication. Unlike mobile phones, there is no need to dial or wait. Pressing the push-to-talk button connects immediately, enabling one-to-one or one-to-many communication. Messages cannot be missed, ensuring critical information is consistently delivered. These advantages make walkie-talkies indispensable in various industries, including security, manufacturing, real estate, hospitality, and healthcare. They are relied upon by security personnel, supervisors, and workers on construction or project sites, as well as by hotels, hospitals, and event organisers, from large concerts to global sporting events like the IPL, for seamless real-time coordination.
Q. What opportunities does this Walkie-Talkie have in the Indian market?
A. The Indian market offers strong potential for walkie-talkie adoption across multiple sectors. They are widely used in security, manufacturing, hospitality, events, and even smaller establishments such as restaurants and hotels, where quick staff coordination is essential. While low-cost Chinese variants meet basic communication needs, Motorola’s advanced solutions cater to specialised, high-reliability environments. The latest technology, which enables mobile phones to function as walkie-talkies, is creating new applications. Delivery personnel for companies like Swiggy and Zomato, for instance, can communicate directly with command centres in real time, bypassing calls, SMS, or messaging apps. Logistics, supply chain operations, and other service-driven industries also present growing adoption opportunities. As these new use cases develop, the scope for walkie-talkies in India will only continue to broaden, strengthening their role as a fast, reliable, and cost-effective communication tool.
Q. Do you have channel partners? If yes, what role do they play?
A. We reach customers through two approaches. For large enterprises, particularly where we provide PMRTS (private mobile radio trunking system) services, we usually engage with them directly through our own team. For captive mobile radio trunk (DMR) solutions, we work through a network of partners and distributors.
We have around 40–50 partners across India, typically one or two in each state. Some of our key partners include Sheetal Wireless, Seamless, Linkwell, Vishnupriya, and BK Communications. This network ensures that wherever customers need walkie-talkie services, they can easily access them through our local partners, who in turn source from us.
Q. Do you face any challenges convincing Indian counterparts to adopt walkie-talkies?
A. Walkie-talkies are a very mature business, and most customers already understand their value, so convincing them is not really a challenge. The bigger task lies with the newer products, such as body-worn cameras, the HALO smart sensor, or advanced video platforms like Avigilon. These require more awareness-building, but thanks to the internet, customers today are well-informed about global technologies and their benefits. Adoption may start gradually, but we are confident that over time, these solutions will gain strong traction in the Indian market.
Q. What is your approximate turnover?
A. Currently, Arya Omnitalk’s turnover is close to ₹2.5 billion, and this year we expect to close above ₹3 billion. In terms of volumes, across walkie-talkies, vehicle tracking devices, and other products, we sell approximately 60,000 to 70,000 units annually.
Q. Is there any new innovation taking place?
A. Yes, innovation is happening across all three of our businesses. In walkie-talkies, vehicle tracking, and toll management, artificial intelligence is playing a major role in transforming the solutions. For example, in toll management, the future lies in multi-lane free-flow tolling, where vehicles will no longer need to stop at a barrier. Using technologies such as ANPR cameras and intelligent systems, tolls will be collected automatically as vehicles move.
