Editorial – FEB 2025

This edition brings extensive coverage of the BharatNet-III project in the North –East Region and other related developments. Funded by the central government, this project will not be rolled out in all of northeast. Two professional misconducts by BSNL are responsible for this blackout. First, pertains to bid manipulation after financial opening and the second, non-isolation of ineligible bidders at the techno-commercial stage and obvious consequences of complaints and delays.

Seven states in the NER have been divided into three packages: NER-I, NER-II, and Assam. Mizoram, Tripura and Meghalaya are under NER-I; while Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Manipur come under NER-II. For NER-I, an ineligible company consortium has been selected. This is bound to face challenge and go kaput. The next in line has the same credential of ineligibility. For NER-II BSNL has ended up facing the axe of its own opacity and manipulative practices with high L1 rates. Assam, which has the highest number of unconnected villages, is bearing the brunt of DoT-BSNL machinations against TCIL.

All this is happening at a time when the government has been avowedly been working for over a decade to make the northeast a strategic gateway under its ‘Act East Policy.’ This government has increased the allocation for the region’s development by more than four times over the last 10 years, this was stated by President Droupadi Murmu on June 26, 2024 while addressing a joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament after the constitution of the 18th Lok Sabha. No less. Yet when it comes to telecom infra through reliable OFC rollouts, all the stops are being pulled out to derail the process.

Connectivity in NER is of strategic importance. Earlier Bangladesh had allowed its territory to be used for laying optical fiber for connecting NER states with the rest of India. Efforts for successful implementation of internet connectivity from the Cox’s Bazar international landing station (Bangladesh) to Agartala through BSNL was declared by Ashwini Vaishnaw in 2022. As is well known after the political tumult in that country, India faces a hostile government in Bangladesh. Recently, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has decided to recall the proposal, citing concerns that the project would undermine Bangladesh’s position as a regional Internet hub.

Clearly BharatNet-III in NER deserves better than a cavalier attitude.