With more than 500 million subscribers, India is the second largest mobile phone market in the world after China. With an average of 15 operators having been given licenses and 8 operators already providing the second generation (2G) mobile services in each service area, the Indian mobile market...

This paper outlines the various stages of spectrum policy in India and highlights the underlying principle of maximal usage of spectrum advocated in the policy. It argues that allocative efficiency is a more appropriate policy measure and illustrates the absence of allocative efficiency in the...