ROSHN Group, stc Group Partner to Connect ROSHN Communities with Cutting-edge ICT

ROSHN and stc group would explore opportunities for collaboration around integrating cutting-edge connectivity and ICT solutions with ROSHN communities
ROSHN and stc group would explore opportunities for collaboration around integrating cutting-edge connectivity and ICT solutions with ROSHN communities
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ROSHN Group, stc Group Partner to Connect ROSHN Communities with Cutting-edge ICT

ROSHN and stc group would explore opportunities for collaboration around integrating cutting-edge connectivity and ICT solutions with ROSHN communities
ROSHN and stc group would explore opportunities for collaboration around integrating cutting-edge connectivity and ICT solutions with ROSHN communities

ROSHN, Saudi Arabia's leading national real estate developer and PIF-funded giga-project, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) and infrastructure agreement with stc group, the engine of digital transformation in the region, at the Cityscape Global forum in Riyadh to provide ROSHN communities with best-in-class, cutting-edge telecommunications access, coverage and connectivity, according to statement from ROSHN.

The statement said ROSHN and stc group would explore opportunities for collaboration around integrating cutting-edge connectivity and ICT solutions with ROSHN communities.

These will include 5G towers, smart home and smart city solutions, and implementing Big Data and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies that improve efficiency, accelerate connectivity and boost the quality of life for residents and visitors.

The MoU will also see ROSHN and stc explore the possibilities of a loyalty program for ROSHN community residents alongside adding stcpay for ROSHN online transactions.

Through the framework agreement, stc group will design, build, and operate a neutral host infrastructure for ROSHN's WAREFA community in Riyadh. This development will allow residents access to both fixed-fiber networks and accelerated wireless mobility connectivity, regardless of service provider.

David Grover, Group CEO of ROSHN, and Olayan Bin Mohammed Alwetaid, stc Group CEO, signed the agreements.

"The partnership agreement established between stc and ROSHN has been formulated as a strategic move towards the expansion and growth of the group,” said Alwetaid.

“The agreement aims to strengthen the group's digitally equipped capabilities and enable it to operate in new regions and projects across the Kingdom. We will equip a modern digital infrastructure and provide the latest digital solutions and services,” he said.

“Our innovative technologies will enrich the lives of society, as smart city technologies and applications will be reflected in ROSHN projects to enhance the quality of life. These efforts align with the vision's goals: to build a digital society, a prosperous digital economy, and a better future for the Kingdom,” Alwetaid added.

As for Grover, he stated: "At ROSHN, we are always seeking to form partnerships with companies and organizations that can deliver our residents the best-in-class services they expect from ROSHN communities and properties. These two agreements will ensure that residents of all our communities have access to up-to-the-minute digital tools required by the modern world, enabling them fast internet access, easy communications, and secure payment connections."



India to Offer $4-$5 Bln in Incentives for Electronics Production, Weaning Off China

A social media influencer uses a phone on the day of the unveiling of Hyundai IONIQ 9, a three-row electric SUV during a Hyundai event in the Hollywood Hills in Los Angeles, California, US, November 20, 2024. REUTERS/Daniel Cole
A social media influencer uses a phone on the day of the unveiling of Hyundai IONIQ 9, a three-row electric SUV during a Hyundai event in the Hollywood Hills in Los Angeles, California, US, November 20, 2024. REUTERS/Daniel Cole
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India to Offer $4-$5 Bln in Incentives for Electronics Production, Weaning Off China

A social media influencer uses a phone on the day of the unveiling of Hyundai IONIQ 9, a three-row electric SUV during a Hyundai event in the Hollywood Hills in Los Angeles, California, US, November 20, 2024. REUTERS/Daniel Cole
A social media influencer uses a phone on the day of the unveiling of Hyundai IONIQ 9, a three-row electric SUV during a Hyundai event in the Hollywood Hills in Los Angeles, California, US, November 20, 2024. REUTERS/Daniel Cole

India will offer up to $5 billion in incentives to companies to make components locally for gadgets from mobiles to laptops, two government officials said, in a bid to bolster the burgeoning industry and wean off supplies from China.
India's electronic production has more than doubled in the last six years to $115 billion in 2024, led by growth in mobile manufacturing by global firms such as Apple and Samsung. It is now the world's fourth-largest smart phone supplier.
But the sector faces criticism for its heavy reliance on imported components from countries such as China.
"The new scheme will incentivize production of key components like printed circuit boards that will improve domestic value addition and deepen local supply chains for a range of electronics," one of the two officials said.
The incentives are likely to be offered under a new scheme expected to be launched in two to three months, said the officials, who asked not to be identified as details of the scheme are not yet public.
The scheme is likely to offer incentives totaling between $4-$5 billion to global or local firms which qualify, Reuters reported.
The plan, designed by the India's electronics ministry, has identified components eligible for incentives and is in its final stages.
The finance ministry will approve the scheme's final allocation soon, the first official added, with the sources expecting it to be launched in the next 2-3 months.
India's electronics ministry and finance ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
India is aiming to expand its electronics manufacturing to $500 billion by the fiscal year 2030, including production of components worth $150 billion, according to the government's top policy think tank Niti Aayog.
India imported electronics, telecoms gear, and electrical products worth $89.8 billion in the fiscal year 2024, with more than half sourced from China and Hong Kong, according to an analysis by private think tank GTRI.
"This scheme is coming at a time when it is critical to promote component manufacturing that will help us aim for a global-scale of electronics production," Pankaj Mohindroo, head of India's Cellular and Electronics Association, said.