These are also the founding principles of the internet and what has made it the largest and most diverse platform for expression in recent history.

Urging all stakeholders to have a comprehensive and informed debate on the subject, the industry association said India's telecom revolution has empowered over 950 million citizens through affordable services "and the internet revolution must now touch every citizen of the country".

"The operators have invested billions of dollars in licence fees, spectrum fees and network roll-outs. Yet the industry still makes negative return on the capital employed," COAI said.

It estimated that India would need an additional capital outlay of 300,000 to 500,000 crore over the next 10 years in spectrum, new technology, equipment, towers, and optical fibre backbone, among others, "to meet the PM's vision of Digital India".

Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg of Internet.org -- a platform with Reliance Communications as its India partner and which offers free access to data -- and Bharti Airtel, whose Airtel Zero venture was also drawn into the debate, have both said they are completely committed to net neutrality.

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