Spectrum allocation in India has been an administrative process rather than market-driven, leading to inefficiencies. There is a scarcity of spectrum that limits expansion of essential telecom services. While Pakistan has allocated spectrum efficiently, India's allocation of 2G and 3G spectrum has faced issues like delays, fragmentation of ownership, and under-utilization. Going forward, India needs to move towards a market-driven approach, allow trading of unused spectrum, and reform policies and institutions for managing spectrum to promote commercial use.