The proposed Gwalior hub has secured investment pledges from global telecom firms and is expected to create more than 18,000 jobs.
India’s proposed Telecom Manufacturing Zone (TMZ) in Gwalior has secured investment commitments exceeding ₹5500 crore (about $655 million) and the potential to generate more than 18,000 jobs, following two industry roundtables jointly organised by the department of telecommunications (DoT) and the cellular operators association of India (COAI) in Mumbai.
The meetings were co-chaired by union communications minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Mohan Yadav, and DoT Secretary Amit Agrawal. The engagements are part of the government’s efforts to establish India’s first integrated TMZ and strengthen domestic telecom manufacturing under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
The first session, an investor roundtable, brought together leading telecom and technology companies, including Qualcomm, NTT DATA, Reliance Jio, and other industry players. Discussions focused on boosting domestic manufacturing, increasing exports, reducing import dependence, and developing a globally competitive telecom and electronics manufacturing ecosystem.
During the Mumbai roundtable, companies pledged investments of over ₹2000 crore (around $238 million), expected to create more than 4000 jobs. These commitments add to the ₹3500 crore (approximately $417 million) investment proposals and 14,000 employment opportunities announced during an earlier investor meeting in Delhi.
Eight global technology companies, including Qualcomm, Ericsson, and Nokia, along with IT firms such as TCS and Tech Mahindra, expressed interest in establishing manufacturing, global service support, and development centres within the proposed zone. India’s three private telecom operators—Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio, and Vodafone Idea—also backed the initiative and said they would encourage suppliers and partners to explore manufacturing opportunities in Gwalior.
A second strategic roundtable examined India’s next phase of telecom growth, with discussions centred on strengthening domestic manufacturing, innovation, and industry participation in the project. Scindia also invited investors to participate in the India Mobile Congress 2026, scheduled for October in New Delhi.
The discussions follow the memorandum of understanding signed on July 30, 2026, between the DoT and the Madhya Pradesh government to establish the 687966sqm (170-acre) plug-and-play TMZ. The facility is planned as an integrated hub for telecom and electronics manufacturing, research and development, innovation, and allied industries, supporting India’s ambition to become a global telecom manufacturing and innovation centre.
