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At the 30th BES Exhibition in New Delhi, the Digital Radio Mondiale Consortium and its industry partners presented DRM as a practical option for India’s future FM digitization. Under the title DRM Digital Radio – “One Nation, One Standard,” the consortium positioned the open digital radio standard as aligned with India’s goals around local manufacturing, technology sovereignty and scalable infrastructure deployment.
Representatives from the DRM ecosystem used the event to brief policymakers, broadcasters, manufacturers and automotive stakeholders on how DRM could support a phased transition from analog FM to digital radio. The consortium argued that DRM’s open-standard model provides full access to the technology without licensing constraints, a point it framed as particularly relevant as India evaluates long-term digital broadcast strategies.
The presentations emphasized India’s existing experience with DRM, particularly in mediumwave and shortwave services operated by All India Radio. According to the consortium, this operational background provides a foundation for developing FM-band digitization without requiring a wholesale reset of transmission expertise or regulatory thinking.
Demonstrations underscore industry readiness
At the exhibition, technology suppliers including CML Micro, Fraunhofer IIS, NXP, OptM, RFmondial, RF2Digital, Solar Grove Solutions and Starwaves presented receivers, chipsets and transmission modules aimed at automotive, portable and fixed receiver markets. The focus was on components that can be manufactured locally while remaining interoperable with international DRM deployments.
Industry representatives pointed to the existing scale of DRM listening in India, citing widespread availability of services and growing penetration of DRM-enabled receivers in vehicles. An electric MG vehicle fitted with a line-installed DRM receiver was used to demonstrate live All India Radio DRM broadcasts, highlighting the maturity of in-car reception solutions.
Exhibitors also emphasized energy efficiency and cost reduction as central to adoption at scale, particularly for battery-powered and automotive applications. Several vendors highlighted modular designs intended to simplify integration into consumer electronics and vehicle infotainment platforms.
Broadcast transition and service expansion
A key theme throughout the DRM sessions was simulcasting, allowing analog FM and digital DRM services to operate in parallel. The consortium described this as a way for broadcasters to introduce digital services incrementally, without disrupting existing analog audiences or requiring immediate receiver replacement.
DRM proponents highlighted the additional services enabled by the standard, including text-based information, images, data services and emergency warning functionality. These features were positioned as tools for public communication and audience engagement rather than as replacements for core audio services.
Fraunhofer IIS demonstrated its ContentServer R8 platform, which combines audio encoding and data service management within a single broadcast workflow. RFmondial presented DRM modulators designed for both simulcast operation and multi-channel digital transmission, aimed at broadcasters planning gradual digital expansion.
Local manufacturing and ecosystem development
Consortium members stressed that DRM’s receiver ecosystem continues to expand in India, with an emphasis on domestic manufacturing. Chipset suppliers highlighted designs intended to reduce power consumption and component costs, supporting mass-market deployment.
Examples included India-manufactured DRM receivers and modules developed for both consumer and professional use. According to the consortium, this local production capability aligns with national industrial policy goals while supporting export potential to other DRM markets.
The DRM leadership framed BES Expo 2026 as a timely opportunity to demonstrate that the technical, manufacturing and operational elements required for FM digitization are already in place. The consortium argued that DRM offers India a digital radio pathway that balances continuity, flexibility and local industry participation.
You can watch a video of DRM at BES Expo 2026 here.
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