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This paper examines the sources of economic growth in Indian economy since the 1980s, with particular focus on the role of information and communication technology (ICT). The impact of ICT on economic growth is analyzed via two main channels. The direct contribution of ICT investment to aggregate economy and manufacturing growth, and the indirect impact of ICT on Total Factor Productivity Growth (TFPG) in ICT using and ICT producing sectors. The results suggest an increasing role of ICT investment in driving aggregate economic growth in India, though largely limited to the service sector. Moreover, the economy has not been successful in spreading the ICT spillover effect across the board, thus limiting the productivity gain from ICT use. Whereas we see an improving productivity growth in ICT using market services and their contribution to aggregate productivity growth, the manufacturing sectors lags quite behind. Indeed, India׳s export oriented ICT sector has helped gain efficiency improvement in its fast growing service economy, while there is still large potential for ICT use in the manufacturing sector. The paper opens further avenues for improving the data on ICT investment, and also stresses the need for more detailed sectoral analysis of the impact of ICT on economic growth, treating computer related and software services separately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The remarkable growth of mobile communication has reinforced the significance of the radio spectrum for mobile network operators. The availability of spectrum varies considerably between different countries due to national regulatory decisions. The focus in this paper is on India where operators have access to a limited amount of spectrum. This paper analyses the value of spectrum by estimating the opportunity cost, which is calculated by the savings that can be achieved by acquiring appropriate amount of spectrum rather than investing in additional base stations. The applied approach combines network deployment, user demand levels, cost, and capacity issues, which are integrated in the application in the opportunity cost approach for spectrum. The opportunity cost of spectrum is compared with prices paid at spectrum auctions. The analysis includes a discussion of drivers that determine the willingness to pay for spectrum. The results show that the opportunity cost of spectrum in relation to auction prices is lower than prices operators paid for 3G spectrum in the metro circles (service areas) while the value derived from the opportunity cost is higher than auction prices in the remaining circles. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Given the benefits of ubiquitous broadband deployment and availability that include economic growth, participation in the Internet economy and increased competitiveness, several countries have launched major national initiatives to accelerate broadband deployment including supporting such initiatives often as a part of their fiscal stimulus plans. These include Afghanistan, Australia, Brazil, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Singapore, Sweden, UK and USA and the European Union as a whole. Despite the initiatives of developing countries, the broadband gap in terms of deployment and adoption between them and developed countries is increasing. There is recognition that there are significant challenges in designing the institutional infrastructure required for broadband deployment, which are accentuated in a developing country context due to the weak existing institutional environment. But since the impact of telecom and, broadband in particular, is more significant in developing countries than in developed ones, policy makers in developing countries are increasingly focusing on National Broadband Plans (NBPs). For example, policy makers in India realize that broadband can accelerate the increasing contribution of the service and knowledge sectors to India's economy and also help to alleviate its poor physical service delivery in areas such as health, education, banking, etc. and have adopted a broadband plan. This paper documents the development of the Indian NBP. Based on prior studies, we identify key factors that contribute to success of broadband deployment and adoption and based on these, we assess the Indian NBP. Further, it uses the framework of multiple streams (Kingdon, 1995) to critique the policy formulation and agenda setting aspects of NBP in an emerging economy. We also highlight the key differences in the policy making processes in developed and developing economies. Given the inter-linkages and complexities of implementing a broadband strategy, we identify the role and attributes of a policy entrepreneur that are critical to evolving the policy, in a developing country context and how these differences lead to the primacy of the role of policy entrepreneur. Thus, the contribution of this paper is in assessing the Indian NBP and providing insights in theoretical aspects of policy making in the realm of broadband in emerging economies, an area that has received little attention. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: India needs inclusive growth to pull millions out of poverty. Despite the best efforts of mainstream financial institutions, financial exclusion is depriving millions of poor any chance to attain adequate standard of living. Telecommunication infrastructure growth especially mobile phone penetration has created an opportunity for providing financial inclusion. The current state of mobile banking is characterized by a top-down approach. This paper presents a bottom-up approach of designing mobile banking service which would be acceptable and accessible to the poor customers. The results point to clear preference of the urban poor for a joint bank–telecom led mobile banking model. Conjoint analysis of the data points to preference for attributes related to security/safety of a bank along with the coverage, accessibility and nimbleness of a telecom service provider with minimal documentation. The paper in its conclusion exhorts the regulators, telecom service providers and financial institutions to involve end-users in order to create a sustainable mobile banking service for financial inclusion. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper estimates the growth contributions of telecom services by public and private sectors and distinguishes it from the information technology services. Socio-economic determinants of demand for telecom services are estimated for fixed and mobile phones in the framework of a Logit model and using data from a small-household sample survey in India. Estimation results show a significant negative impact of price and a positive impact of income variables; distinguish the importance of social caste, education level, nature of occupation, age of household head and family size between fixed and mobiles phones and offer evidence for substitutability of mobile phones for fixed phones. These results add to the empirical knowledge of socio-economic determinants of telecom demand and have implications for selective design of policies towards promotion of higher demand and attainment of higher economic growth by fixed and mobile services in India and other developing countries. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]