He DRM Consortium members welcomed Telecom Regulatory Authority of IndiaRecent Digital FM Broadcasting Recommendations.
Over the years, TRAI has urged the government to issue a detailed policy framework for digital radio broadcasting in India. But the ministry wanted more evidence. Last fall, it again passed the buck into TRAI’s court, asking the regulatory authority to come up with a recommendation for digitization of private FM sector, as public broadcaster AIR was not part of the exercise.
In other words, TRAI would recommend the global open DRM standard or the proprietary HD standard, mainly used in the US, to digitize private FM stations.
India, a vast country of 1.4 billion people, transmits in medium wave (MW, 526–1606 KHz), shortwave (SW, 6–22 MHz) and VHF-II (FM band, 88–108 MHz) frequency bands. All India Radio (AIR), the public service broadcaster, is the only broadcaster offering radio services in the MW, SW and FM bands, effectively covering the entire subcontinent and almost 100% of the population.
AIR has already digitized 37 MW and two SW transmitters, which can potentially reach 900 million Indian listeners. Another four MW and two SW transmitters are ready for activation. Many on-air transmitters already operate in simulcast mode (i.e. analog and digital), with periods of purely digital transmission.
The public broadcaster, with its significant FM radio network, has also successfully conducted FM trials for the two digital radio competitors (DRM and HD/Xperi).
Indian private radio stations only broadcast in the FM frequency band (88-108 MHz) and their coverage is limited to large cities and metropolitan areas, with the third phase of allocating FM licenses to smaller locations still unfinished.
Community radio stations also broadcast on the analog FM band. The FM sector is young in India (post-2000) and many popular private stations are often subsidiaries of large media outlets. These stations mainly offer a mix of Bollywood and modern music, as well as discussions on social issues. They have an attractive presentation and are quite lucrative in the advertising space. However, the high cost of initial licenses and annual recurring fees that must be paid to the government is a big problem for private broadcasters.
The prospect of investing in digital radio is not yet attractive to them (although it will allow for more content, offering new revenue-generating potential) unless the government offers concessions and financial incentives. That is, digital yes, but not with our money.
Last year, the technologically neutral company TRAIged in a serious and methodical consultation process on how to best digitize private FM stations. This began with a phase of two written submission process.
By the end of 2024, TRAI had received 43 comments and 13 counter-comments which were discussed again at an open house meeting held in January 2025. Opinions on the merits of each of the two radio standards were divided, but DRM gained support from experienced technical experts and from large Indian and international companies and organizations such as The Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU), HFCC, WorldDAB, RDS Forum, Free Stream Technologies, HT Media/Fever FM India, OptM India, Indian DX Club International, Inntot India, Ittiam Systems, Cambridge Consultants, CML Micro, Desay SV, Dolby, Elements Innovation UK, Fraunhofer IIS, RF2Digital, RFmondial and Starwaves.
Is DRM the best option for India?
DRM, as a digital successor to AM/FM, offers India a unique, open and homegrown path to transform analog FM into a national, efficient and affordable digital platform. DRM is also already used in India and is available in millions of cars. about 13 million by the end of 2025.
Without committing to a single digital option, TRAI clearly recommends a single standard (without naming it) for India. Of the two, only DRM is already transmitted, received and manufactured in India.
(Related: “DRM says it is the best option for digital radio in India“)
DRM also fulfills TRAI’s other important requirement – simulcasting – to enable broadcasters to make a seamless transition from analogue to digital. DRM, as experienced in Indian trials, can offer spectrum and power advantages, as well as interference-free simulcast options.
It is important to highlight that DRM digital radio is scalable, both in terms of service offering and spectrum use, since it uses unused spectrum or white spaces between analog transmitters.
A DRM digital service offers up to four services (three audio and one multimedia service such as Journaline) on a single 100 kHz transmission frequency (a DRM block). In simulcast operation, DRM can offer analog and multiple digital audio and data services within 300 kHz spectrum, offering high service density per channel.
The configuration can be expanded to include up to six digital DRM blocks, providing up to 18 digital audio services and six data services within 800 kHz. The same infrastructure can support single frequency networking (SFN), allowing multiple transmitters to transmit identical digital content on a single frequency, reducing interference and improving coverage. These settings are unique to DRM and cannot be matched by other standards.
DRM is also the only digital radio standard that uses the latest and most efficient audio codec in the MPEG AAC family: xHE-AAC, natively supported by billions of mobile phones, tablets and PCs.
Therefore, with strong industry readiness and proven utility integration, DRM is the only technology that satisfies both the letter and spirit of the regulator’s roadmap.
(Related: “DRM cites receiver growth in India“)
In the opinion of the Consortium, DRM fully complies with the TRAI recommendations and some of the India-specific requirements. For example, DRM technology allows the government to reach mobile phone users through free broadcasts and in crisis situations, even when mobile networks are down, creating a reliable and resilient national disaster information system. It is the only standard that includes the Journaline text service for news distribution, educational and infotainment content and emergency warnings in all Indian languages.
DRM is made for India, as also expressed by Mr. Rajith Nair, Co-Founder and CEO of Inntot Technologies, an award-winning Indian startup. Inntot offers solutions for more than one digital radio standard. Currently, it uses DRM SDR modules in approximately 1.8 million Indian cars. Nair said DRM is “India’s natural choice for the transition to digital broadcasting because it is open and sovereign.” — guarantee long-term independence and transparency. It is efficient and scalable, inclusive and accessible, tested and ready, as you have already implemented it All India Radio and supported by the Indian industry.”
A big advantage is that DRM is an open technology with no gatekeepers, offering the lowest possible manufacturing cost and all intellectual property royalties are low and published. And there is no dependence on the commercial interests of a single company.
DRM is solid and is not affected, like other companies (Xperi) that, faced with a 16% drop in its quarterly income, has to lay off 15% of your staff. The importance of local investment and development of DRM solutions in India itself cannot be underestimated, as this is aligned with the national policy expressed by the Indian Prime Minister of promoting “Make in India 2.0” and “Digital India” efforts.
(Related: “Xperi hopes to monetize DTS AutoStage data soon“)
What’s next?
The Ministry is still considering the full TRAI recommendation. So far no new steps have been announced. Those with a crystal ball could see several options. The Ministry makes a decision early, asks for more and broader consultations that include even private broadcasters or, worst of all, lets the market decide.
Why is that the worst? It is because the digitalization of radio has never been decided by any market anywhere in the world. The opinion of experts is that such a step would delay the entire process, confuse and inhibit the market, invalidate many investments made (especially the many millions of dollars invested by the automobile industry), demotivate listeners and undermine broadcasters and Indians who have the knowledge of DRM and work for its implementation.
The DRM Consortium, a non-profit organization, remains confident in the process and believes that the DRM standard is the best and most comprehensive solution for India, and will be recognized as such.
The adoption of DRM as India’s single digital radio standard ensures a unified, secure and future-proof national broadcasting ecosystem, upholding India’s vision of a self-reliant, digitally empowered nation.
(Also from this author: “China bets on DRM digital radio“)