Union Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday said the Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme (MPMS) will help Indian mobile brands expand globally while strengthening the country's manufacturing base.&nbsp;Speaking to the media in Delhi, Vaishnaw said the initiative will focus on more than raising production. It will also promote Indian brands, intellectual property and product design.&nbsp;The government has allocated Rs 62,500 crore for the scheme, which will run for five years from FY 2026-27 to FY 2030-31. It has two target segments, with TS-1 supporting mobile phone manufacturing and TS-2 aimed at Indian mobile phone brands.<h3>Incentives for Indian brands</h3>The incentive rate under the programme ranges from 2.25 per cent to 5 per cent. Indian brands will qualify for the highest rate of 5 per cent, while companies can receive an additional incentive of up to 1.5 per cent for sourcing key components and sub-assemblies within the country.&nbsp;Domestic brands can also get an extra 3 per cent incentive for Indian design and research and development.&nbsp;Vaishnaw said the broader objective is to improve India's global competitiveness, expand manufacturing capacity, strengthen local supply chains and increase domestic value addition.&nbsp;He said India had previously built a mobile manufacturing ecosystem, but tax issues and competition from Chinese companies made it difficult for local brands to compete.&nbsp;"We had a mobile manufacturing ecosystem, but because of the tax issues and because of the Chinese onslaught, it became impossible for them to compete in the market. Now that we have been able to establish the ecosystem back in our country, the time has come when we should now be focusing on developing Indian brand--Indian brand, Indian IP, Indian design," he said.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-issues-genocide-warrant-for-israeli-pm-netanyahu-over-gaza-flotilla-1787321164052">Turkey issues 'genocide' warrant for Israeli PM Netanyahu over Gaza flotilla</a><h3>Production target set at Rs 40 trillion</h3>The minister said cumulative mobile phone production could double during the five years covered by the scheme. Production currently stands at around Rs 20 lakh crore and is expected to reach Rs 40 lakh crore.&nbsp;Employment in mobile phone and electronics manufacturing has also crossed 25 lakh, according to Vaishnaw.&nbsp;He further indicated that Apple's manufacturing operations in India could expand beyond iPhones. When asked whether the company could start making products such as iPads and Macs in the country, the minister answered in the affirmative.

The Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme will promote Indian brands, design and IP while expanding India's mobile production and manufacturing capabilities.

Union Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday said the Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme (MPMS) will help Indian mobile brands expand globally while strengthening the country's manufacturing base. Speaking to the media in Delhi, Vaishnaw said the initiative will focus on more than raising production. It will also promote Indian brands, intellectual property and product design. The government has allocated Rs 62,500 crore for the scheme, which will run for five years from FY 2026-27 to FY 2030-31. It has two target segments, with TS-1 supporting mobile phone manufacturing and TS-2 aimed at Indian mobile phone brands. Incentives for Indian brands The incentive rate under the programme ranges from 2.25 per cent to 5 per cent. Indian brands will qualify for the highest rate of 5 per cent, while companies can receive an additional incentive of up to 1.5 per cent for sourcing key components and sub-assemblies within the country. Domestic brands can also get an extra 3 per cent incentive for Indian design and research and development. Vaishnaw said the broader objective is to improve India's global competitiveness, expand manufacturing capacity, strengthen local supply chains and increase domestic value addition. He said India had previously built a mobile manufacturing ecosystem, but tax issues and competition from Chinese companies made it difficult for local brands to compete. "We had a mobile manufacturing ecosystem, but because of the tax issues and because of the Chinese onslaught, it became impossible for them to compete in the market. Now that we have been able to establish the ecosystem back in our country, the time has come when we should now be focusing on developing Indian brand--Indian brand, Indian IP, Indian design," he said. Also Read: Turkey issues 'genocide' warrant for Israeli PM Netanyahu over Gaza flotilla Production target set at Rs 40 trillion The minister said cumulative mobile phone production could double during the five years covered by the scheme. Production currently stands at around Rs 20 lakh crore and is expected to reach Rs 40 lakh crore. Employment in mobile phone and electronics manufacturing has also crossed 25 lakh, according to Vaishnaw. He further indicated that Apple's manufacturing operations in India could expand beyond iPhones. When asked whether the company could start making products such as iPads and Macs in the country, the minister answered in the affirmative.

The Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme will promote Indian brands, design and IP while expanding India's mobile production and manufacturing capabilities.

Rs 62,500 crore mobile manufacturing scheme aims to build Indian brands: Vaishnaw

Have you felt frustrated while trying to book a railway ticket online in India, as tickets often get sold out in Tatkal within minutes?&nbsp;Let’s tell you about a shocking revelation on how automated bots account for a major chunk of the ticketing requests.&nbsp;The issue came to the fore in Lok Sabha after a Congress MP questioned the government over inconvenience regarding tatkal booking.&nbsp;This facility allows passengers to book a train ticket one day in advance.&nbsp;He enquired about action taken against touts and steps taken by the centre to permanently block automated booking bots.&nbsp;Complaints have often surfaced about unauthorised agents using automated bots to buy tatkal tickets, which are then resold at inflated prices.&nbsp;Now, the data depicts a story in itself.&nbsp;As per Union Railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, 15.38 billion monthly requests were received for booking a rail ticket online on average. However, 8.88 billion – that is a whopping 58% of the requests – came from bots, which were rejected.&nbsp;If we look at the data of the last six months, April, May and June saw bots accounting for over 60% of the total ticketing requests.&nbsp;Last month alone, 12.61 billion requests came from bots. February was an aberration when only 45% of the requests came from bots.&nbsp;But what action has the government taken to combat this attempted ticket fraud?&nbsp;Vaishnaw highlighted that a rigorous reverification of user accounts has been done. As a result, about three crore suspicious user IDS have been deactivated since 2025. In this period, over 13,000 suspicious email domains have also been blocked.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/bots-accounted-for-58-of-india-s-rail-booking-requests-here-s-how-centre-is-tackling-this-menace-1784826744746/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/bots-accounted-for-58-of-india-s-rail-booking-requests-here-s-how-centre-is-tackling-this-menace-1784826744746/embed</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;Additionally, over 22,000 touts have been arrested by the railway protection police during the last five years.&nbsp;The minister also revealed that 530 complaints regarding suspicious booking had been registered on the national cybercrime portal in the last two years.&nbsp;To begin with, the government now allows only Aadhaar-authenticated passengers to book tatkal tickets online.&nbsp;To curb misuse in Tatkal bookings, Aadhaar-based one-time password verification has also been introduced on select trains.&nbsp;This is not all.&nbsp;The railways have also deployed other protective layers like anti-bot solutions, network firewalls and intrusion prevention systems.&nbsp;Also, Vaishnaw added that the booking system is hosted in a secure data centre facility in New Delhi with restricted physical access and CCTV monitoring.&nbsp;However, with nearly 89% of all rail tickets in India now booked online, it is clear that the government needs to do a lot more to ensure transparency and convenience for passengers.

Railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said 15.38 billion monthly requests were received for booking a rail ticket online, on average. However, 8.88 billion – that is a whopping 58% of the requests – came from bots, which were rejected. Last month alone, 12.61 billion requests came from bots.

Have you felt frustrated while trying to book a railway ticket online in India, as tickets often get sold out in Tatkal within minutes? Let’s tell you about a shocking revelation on how automated bots account for a major chunk of the ticketing requests. The issue came to the fore in Lok Sabha after a Congress MP questioned the government over inconvenience regarding tatkal booking. This facility allows passengers to book a train ticket one day in advance. He enquired about action taken against touts and steps taken by the centre to permanently block automated booking bots. Complaints have often surfaced about unauthorised agents using automated bots to buy tatkal tickets, which are then resold at inflated prices. Now, the data depicts a story in itself. As per Union Railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, 15.38 billion monthly requests were received for booking a rail ticket online on average. However, 8.88 billion – that is a whopping 58% of the requests – came from bots, which were rejected. If we look at the data of the last six months, April, May and June saw bots accounting for over 60% of the total ticketing requests. Last month alone, 12.61 billion requests came from bots. February was an aberration when only 45% of the requests came from bots. But what action has the government taken to combat this attempted ticket fraud? Vaishnaw highlighted that a rigorous reverification of user accounts has been done. As a result, about three crore suspicious user IDS have been deactivated since 2025. In this period, over 13,000 suspicious email domains have also been blocked. https://www.wionews.com/videos/bots-accounted-for-58-of-india-s-rail-booking-requests-here-s-how-centre-is-tackling-this-menace-1784826744746/embed Additionally, over 22,000 touts have been arrested by the railway protection police during the last five years. The minister also revealed that 530 complaints regarding suspicious booking had been registered on the national cybercrime portal in the last two years. To begin with, the government now allows only Aadhaar-authenticated passengers to book tatkal tickets online. To curb misuse in Tatkal bookings, Aadhaar-based one-time password verification has also been introduced on select trains. This is not all. The railways have also deployed other protective layers like anti-bot solutions, network firewalls and intrusion prevention systems. Also, Vaishnaw added that the booking system is hosted in a secure data centre facility in New Delhi with restricted physical access and CCTV monitoring. However, with nearly 89% of all rail tickets in India now booked online, it is clear that the government needs to do a lot more to ensure transparency and convenience for passengers.

Railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said 15.38 billion monthly requests were received for booking a rail ticket online, on average. However, 8.88 billion – that is a whopping 58% of the requests – came from bots, which were rejected. Last month alone, 12.61 billion requests came from bots.

Bots accounted for 58% of India’s rail booking requests: Here’s how centre is tackling this menace | Gravitas

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw will flag off the extended Srinagar–Jammu Tawi Vande Bharat Express service on April 30, 2026, marking a major upgrade in rail connectivity across Jammu and Kashmir. The inaugural run will depart from Jammu Tawi Railway Station, extending the train’s earlier route from Srinagar–Katra to now include Jammu Tawi, the region’s largest rail hub.&nbsp;The enhanced service comes with a significant capacity boost, expanding from 8 to 20 coaches in response to sustained high demand since its initial launch by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 6, 2025. The augmentation is expected to ease waitlists and accommodate more passengers, particularly during peak pilgrimage and tourist seasons.&nbsp;ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/a-long-brewing-move-what-led-to-the-uae-s-exit-from-opec-after-prolonged-strain-within-the-group-5-reasons-1777461298507">A long-brewing move? What led to the UAE’s exit from OPEC after prolonged strain within the group? 5 reasons</a>&nbsp;Regular operations of the extended service will begin on May 2, 2026, with two pairs of trains running six days a week. Covering approximately 266 km, the route will connect Jammu Tawi, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra, Reasi, Banihal, and Srinagar, offering both morning and afternoon travel options in each direction.&nbsp;The extension eliminates the need for passengers to change trains at Katra, enabling a seamless journey between Jammu and Srinagar. This is expected to particularly benefit pilgrims traveling to Vaishno Devi and those continuing onward for the Amarnath Yatra via Srinagar, as well as tourists, traders, and daily commuters. Officials say the move will also provide a reliable alternative during winter months when the Jammu–Srinagar highway is often disrupted due to heavy snowfall. The Vande Bharat trains are designed for extreme weather conditions, ensuring consistent connectivity.&nbsp;ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/live-blog-assam-kerala-west-bengal-tamil-nadu-puducherry-assembly-elections-exit-poll-2026-live-updates-tmc-bjp-congress-1777463059470">West Bengal Assembly Elections Exit Poll LIVE: 89.99% till 5 pm, phase 2 turnout crosses 2021 record</a>&nbsp;Following the flag-off, Vaishnaw will inspect key infrastructure projects on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link corridor, including the Anji Khad Bridge—India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge—and the Chenab Rail Bridge, the world’s highest railway arch bridge.&nbsp;The extension is being seen as a milestone in the region’s rail development, improving accessibility, boosting tourism, and supporting local economies. It is also part of a broader effort over the past decade to strengthen rail infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir, including the completion of critical sections of the USBRL project and station redevelopment initiatives. With this development, passengers from across India arriving at Jammu Tawi will now have direct access to the Kashmir Valley via a single high-speed train, marking a new chapter in seamless rail travel in the region.

This is expected to particularly benefit pilgrims traveling to Vaishno Devi and those continuing onward for the Amarnath Yatra via Srinagar, as well as tourists, traders, and daily commuters.

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw will flag off the extended Srinagar–Jammu Tawi Vande Bharat Express service on April 30, 2026, marking a major upgrade in rail connectivity across Jammu and Kashmir. The inaugural run will depart from Jammu Tawi Railway Station, extending the train’s earlier route from Srinagar–Katra to now include Jammu Tawi, the region’s largest rail hub. The enhanced service comes with a significant capacity boost, expanding from 8 to 20 coaches in response to sustained high demand since its initial launch by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 6, 2025. The augmentation is expected to ease waitlists and accommodate more passengers, particularly during peak pilgrimage and tourist seasons. ALSO READ: A long-brewing move? What led to the UAE’s exit from OPEC after prolonged strain within the group? 5 reasons Regular operations of the extended service will begin on May 2, 2026, with two pairs of trains running six days a week. Covering approximately 266 km, the route will connect Jammu Tawi, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra, Reasi, Banihal, and Srinagar, offering both morning and afternoon travel options in each direction. The extension eliminates the need for passengers to change trains at Katra, enabling a seamless journey between Jammu and Srinagar. This is expected to particularly benefit pilgrims traveling to Vaishno Devi and those continuing onward for the Amarnath Yatra via Srinagar, as well as tourists, traders, and daily commuters. Officials say the move will also provide a reliable alternative during winter months when the Jammu–Srinagar highway is often disrupted due to heavy snowfall. The Vande Bharat trains are designed for extreme weather conditions, ensuring consistent connectivity. ALSO READ: West Bengal Assembly Elections Exit Poll LIVE: 89.99% till 5 pm, phase 2 turnout crosses 2021 record Following the flag-off, Vaishnaw will inspect key infrastructure projects on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link corridor, including the Anji Khad Bridge—India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge—and the Chenab Rail Bridge, the world’s highest railway arch bridge. The extension is being seen as a milestone in the region’s rail development, improving accessibility, boosting tourism, and supporting local economies. It is also part of a broader effort over the past decade to strengthen rail infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir, including the completion of critical sections of the USBRL project and station redevelopment initiatives. With this development, passengers from across India arriving at Jammu Tawi will now have direct access to the Kashmir Valley via a single high-speed train, marking a new chapter in seamless rail travel in the region.

This is expected to particularly benefit pilgrims traveling to Vaishno Devi and those continuing onward for the Amarnath Yatra via Srinagar, as well as tourists, traders, and daily commuters.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to flag off extended Srinagar–Jammu Vande Bharat tomorrow

In a pointed message, Union Information Technology and Communications Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday told digital and social media platforms to either voluntarily adopt fair revenue-sharing models for news publishers and content creators or be prepared for legal frameworks to enforce it. The minister was speaking at the Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA) Conclave 2026.Vaishnaw said that platforms deriving value from journalistic and creative content must ensure equitable compensation not only for established news organisations, but also for independent creators, researchers and influencers in the country.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/supreme-court-orders-blanket-ban-on-ncert-textbook-says-heads-must-roll-1772104695420">Supreme Court orders blanket ban on NCERT textbook, says ‘heads must roll’</a>&nbsp;“Platforms must work to share fair compensation for the content they use from publishers and creators. They either do it voluntarily or else there are legal ways to get it done,” he said.“The platforms must also share revenue in a fair way with the people who are creating the content — whether it is news persons, conventional media, creators sitting in far-flung areas, influencers, professors or researchers,” he said.He stressed that intellectual property has historically powered societal progress. “If original content is not fairly compensated, then the growth of science, technology, arts and literature will get stunted,” he warned.“I will request all the platforms to rethink your revenue sharing policies. If this is not done voluntarily, there are so many countries which have shown the path to get it done in a legal way,” Vaishnaw added.The minister’s remark is being seen as a signal that India could explore regulatory mechanisms mandating tech platforms to compensate news publishers for content usage.&nbsp;<h2>‘Trust is the foundation, and it is under threat’</h2>&nbsp;“The entire human society is built upon trust in institutions. When that trust erodes, the very foundation of society begins to weaken,” Vaishnaw said and warned that deepfakes, disinformation campaigns, and synthetically generated videos are iundermining public faith in institutions, including media.&nbsp;“Creating videos with absolutely no correlation to reality, generating synthetic content of respected personalities without consent — these are not small issues. They directly challenge societal trust,” he said.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-treasury-sanctions-over-30-individuals-and-entities-for-enabling-illicit-iranian-petroleum-sales-1772043577579">US Treasury sanctions over 30 individuals and entities for enabling illicit Iranian petroleum sales</a><h2>‘Platforms must take responsibility for content’</h2>&nbsp;“The nature of the internet has changed. It is no longer just an open-source exchange of information. It has become a powerful media outlet. The times are gone when a platform could say it is not responsible for the content,” Vaishnaw added.He said platforms must take responsibility for illegal, harmful, or algorithmically amplified content. “Are they promoting fake content? Are they causing harm to children? Are they inciting crimes? These are questions platforms must now answer,” he said.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/suicide-bomber-blows-himself-up-near-pakistan-checkpost-4-cops-dead-1772038584936">Suicide bomber blows himself up near Pakistan checkpost; 4 cops dead | Video</a><h2>‘Online safety is a national priority, consent must’</h2>&nbsp;The minister also emphasised online safety as a national priority, particularly for children and vulnerable users. He called for proactive action against cyber fraud and cybercrime, stronger grievance redressal mechanisms, mandatory user consent before generating synthetic audio or video using an individual’s likeness, and greater accountability in algorithmic amplification.“How can a video be generated of a well-known news anchor advertising a product without consent? That consent must be taken,” he said.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/-shocking-unacceptable-says-minister-govt-initiates-action-against-bsnl-director-over-prayagraj-visit-row-1772027947359">‘Shocking, unacceptable,’ says minister; govt initiates action against BSNL director over Prayagraj visit row</a>&nbsp;Vaishnaw pointed out that courts and parliamentary committees have increasingly scrutinised the societal impact of digital platforms.“The judiciary is concerned. The Parliamentary Committee has done extensive consultations and submitted a comprehensive report,” he said, urging stakeholders to examine the findings closely.“In such interesting times, it’s very important that whatever we decide today lays the foundation of tomorrow,” he said.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Ashwini Vaishnaw warns Big Tech: Share revenue with content creators or face legal action Watch: <a href="https://t.co/P46yqFbz86">https://t.co/P46yqFbz86</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZrsALhxy0i">pic.twitter.com/ZrsALhxy0i</a>&mdash; WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/2027005640057794778?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Union IT and Communications Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw emphasised that intellectual property has historically powered societal progress. He further warned that if original content is not fairly compensated, then the growth of science, technology, arts, and literature will get stunted.

In a pointed message, Union Information Technology and Communications Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday told digital and social media platforms to either voluntarily adopt fair revenue-sharing models for news publishers and content creators or be prepared for legal frameworks to enforce it. The minister was speaking at the Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA) Conclave 2026. Vaishnaw said that platforms deriving value from journalistic and creative content must ensure equitable compensation not only for established news organisations, but also for independent creators, researchers and influencers in the country. Also Read: Supreme Court orders blanket ban on NCERT textbook, says ‘heads must roll’ “Platforms must work to share fair compensation for the content they use from publishers and creators. They either do it voluntarily or else there are legal ways to get it done,” he said. “The platforms must also share revenue in a fair way with the people who are creating the content — whether it is news persons, conventional media, creators sitting in far-flung areas, influencers, professors or researchers,” he said. He stressed that intellectual property has historically powered societal progress. “If original content is not fairly compensated, then the growth of science, technology, arts and literature will get stunted,” he warned. “I will request all the platforms to rethink your revenue sharing policies. If this is not done voluntarily, there are so many countries which have shown the path to get it done in a legal way,” Vaishnaw added. The minister’s remark is being seen as a signal that India could explore regulatory mechanisms mandating tech platforms to compensate news publishers for content usage. ‘Trust is the foundation, and it is under threat’ “The entire human society is built upon trust in institutions. When that trust erodes, the very foundation of society begins to weaken,” Vaishnaw said and warned that deepfakes, disinformation campaigns, and synthetically generated videos are iundermining public faith in institutions, including media. “Creating videos with absolutely no correlation to reality, generating synthetic content of respected personalities without consent — these are not small issues. They directly challenge societal trust,” he said. Also Read: US Treasury sanctions over 30 individuals and entities for enabling illicit Iranian petroleum sales ‘Platforms must take responsibility for content’ “The nature of the internet has changed. It is no longer just an open-source exchange of information. It has become a powerful media outlet. The times are gone when a platform could say it is not responsible for the content,” Vaishnaw added. He said platforms must take responsibility for illegal, harmful, or algorithmically amplified content. “Are they promoting fake content? Are they causing harm to children? Are they inciting crimes? These are questions platforms must now answer,” he said. Also Read: Suicide bomber blows himself up near Pakistan checkpost; 4 cops dead | Video ‘Online safety is a national priority, consent must’ The minister also emphasised online safety as a national priority, particularly for children and vulnerable users. He called for proactive action against cyber fraud and cybercrime, stronger grievance redressal mechanisms, mandatory user consent before generating synthetic audio or video using an individual’s likeness, and greater accountability in algorithmic amplification. “How can a video be generated of a well-known news anchor advertising a product without consent? That consent must be taken,” he said. Also Read: ‘Shocking, unacceptable,’ says minister; govt initiates action against BSNL director over Prayagraj visit row Vaishnaw pointed out that courts and parliamentary committees have increasingly scrutinised the societal impact of digital platforms. “The judiciary is concerned. The Parliamentary Committee has done extensive consultations and submitted a comprehensive report,” he said, urging stakeholders to examine the findings closely. “In such interesting times, it’s very important that whatever we decide today lays the foundation of tomorrow,” he said.

Union IT and Communications Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw emphasised that intellectual property has historically powered societal progress. He further warned that if original content is not fairly compensated, then the growth of science, technology, arts, and literature will get stunted.

‘Share revenue with news publishers or face legal action,’ minister Ashwini Vaishnaw warns platforms

Union Minister for Railways, Information &amp; Broadcasting, and Electronics &amp; Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, on Sunday (Feb 1) dubbed Budget 2026 as a roadmap for Viksit Bharat and said the increased outlay for Railways and Semiconductor manufacturing is a step in that direction. He highlighted the rapid growth of India's electronic and digital econsystem saying that the sector has witnessed unprecedented expansion over the last decade.&nbsp;"The electronics manufacturing sector today employs about 25 lakh individuals. This is a huge jump over the last decade. In 10 years, electronics manufacturing has grown sixfold, and electronics exports have grown eightfold. Given the need to accelerate growth in electronics manufacturing, the finance minister announced Rs 40,000 crore for the electronics component manufacturing scheme and simultaneously announced Semicon 2.0. This is again a major achievement for our country and for our Prime Minister's vision that a futuristic industry like semiconductors, which will feed into AI, will be a significant boost to the economy. Data centres will be the backbone of the AI-led fifth industrial revolution." Vaishnaw said in an interview with ANI.&nbsp;His comment followed the announcement of Semiconductor Mission 2.0 to strengthen the supply chain with a budget outlay of Rs 40,000 crores during the Budget speech by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Underlining the importance of Digital infrastructure, the minister stated, "India will become one of the largest data centre hubs following today's policy announcement. Data centres will have a 20-year tax holiday. This will be a significant change. Overall, in the creator economy, 20 lakh new employment opportunities will be created, as the IICT (Indian Institute of Creative Technologies) will now be connected to 15,000 high schools and 500 colleges through the creator labs."&nbsp;The Union Budget set aside the biggest ever outlay ever for Indian Railways for 2026 and announced 7 high-speed rail corridors connecting key economic centres across the country.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/more-than-200-killed-in-intense-clashes-between-separatists-and-army-in-pakistan-s-balochistan-1769957610746">More than 200 killed in intense clashes between separatists and army in Pakistan’s Balochistan</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;"Seven new high-speed corridors have been announced today. These high-speed corridors will significantly reduce travel time, bringing about a major change in people's lives," he said.&nbsp;"Chennai, Bangalore, and Hyderabad--that southern triangle -- will drive significant economic growth across the southern states of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka. This will be a major, major win for all five southern states," he added. Vaishnaw declared that about 4,000 kilometres of high-speed corridors will attract Rs 16 lakh crore in investment.

The Union Budget set aside the biggest ever outlay ever for Indian Railways for 2026 and announced 7 high-speed rail corridors connecting key economic centres across the country.

Union Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, on Sunday (Feb 1) dubbed Budget 2026 as a roadmap for Viksit Bharat and said the increased outlay for Railways and Semiconductor manufacturing is a step in that direction. He highlighted the rapid growth of India's electronic and digital econsystem saying that the sector has witnessed unprecedented expansion over the last decade. "The electronics manufacturing sector today employs about 25 lakh individuals. This is a huge jump over the last decade. In 10 years, electronics manufacturing has grown sixfold, and electronics exports have grown eightfold. Given the need to accelerate growth in electronics manufacturing, the finance minister announced Rs 40,000 crore for the electronics component manufacturing scheme and simultaneously announced Semicon 2.0. This is again a major achievement for our country and for our Prime Minister's vision that a futuristic industry like semiconductors, which will feed into AI, will be a significant boost to the economy. Data centres will be the backbone of the AI-led fifth industrial revolution." Vaishnaw said in an interview with ANI. His comment followed the announcement of Semiconductor Mission 2.0 to strengthen the supply chain with a budget outlay of Rs 40,000 crores during the Budget speech by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

The Union Budget set aside the biggest ever outlay ever for Indian Railways for 2026 and announced 7 high-speed rail corridors connecting key economic centres across the country.

Electronics manufacturing grows sixfold in a decade; high-speed corridors to draw Rs 16 lakh crore: Vaishnaw

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw unveiled India's ambitious roadmap to democratise artificial intelligence. By offering government-subsidised computing power at a fraction of global costs and focusing on efficient, smaller models.

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw unveiled India's ambitious roadmap to democratise artificial intelligence. By offering government-subsidised computing power at a fraction of global costs and focusing on efficient, smaller models.

India offers subsidized AI computing at one-third global cost: Ashwini Vaishnaw at WEF 2026

union-minister-ashwini-vaishnaw

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, News on Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, stories on Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, articles on Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stories at Wion, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw news, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw latest news

union minister-ashwini-vaishnaw

Rs 62,500 crore mobile manufacturing scheme aims to build Indian brands: Vaishnaw

Bots account for 58% of rail booking requests: Here’s how govt is tackling them

Ashwini Vaishnaw to flag off extended Srinagar–Jammu Vande Bharat tomorrow

Share revenue with news publishers or face action, Vaishnaw tells platforms

Electronics manufacturing up sixfold in decade; exports rise eightfold: Vaishnaw

India offers subsidised AI computing at one-third global cost: Vaishnaw at WEF