India’s telecom regulator, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), is reportedly in favor of merging the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Department of Telecommunications (DoT), and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) into a single consolidated body. According to a report citing senior sources, the move aims to streamline governance in India’s increasingly interconnected digital ecosystem.
Industry Supports Consolidation Push
The proposal has also received support from industry stakeholders, who believe that a unified regulatory body could help eliminate overlaps in jurisdiction — particularly in sectors like telecom services, OTT platforms, and app-based communication services.
“Other countries have already adopted similar models to address convergence. India must follow suit to avoid duplication and confusion in regulatory roles,” a TRAI official was quoted as saying. The initiative mirrors global trends where integrated frameworks manage the convergence of communication technologies and digital content.
Parliamentary Panel Advocates Unified Ministry
In March, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and IT, in its 11th report, recommended the formation of a single digital ministry to enhance coordination and policy formulation. The committee also suggested establishing a Media Council to regulate all forms of media—print, broadcast, and digital—under one roof, ensuring consistency in legal oversight.
Industry bodies such as the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) have also backed the idea, citing advantages like improved policy clarity and streamlined handling of sectoral challenges.
Concerns from Broadcasting Sector
However, not all stakeholders are on board. Some players in the broadcasting industry have raised concerns that a unified framework might result in “false equivalence” between telecommunications and media content regulation.
“Telecom regulatory principles should not be applied to content-related issues,” a broadcast executive told BusinessLine, warning of potential misalignment in policy decisions if both sectors are treated similarly.
Addressing Fragmented Oversight
TRAI had earlier flagged these issues in a 2023 discussion paper, pointing out challenges such as multiple licensing bodies for converged services, regulatory gaps around OTT platforms, and fragmented oversight of digital ecosystems.
With digital technologies rapidly blurring the lines between networks, services, and content, the push for a harmonised governance model is gaining traction. The government is expected to further deliberate the proposal, weighing the benefits of regulatory efficiency against the need for sector-specific safeguards.
