Telecom is a medium of equity and opportunity in India: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that mobile and telecom were seen as facilities worldwide, but in India, “Telecom was not just a medium of connectivity, but a medium of equity and opportunity.”Modi was addressing the International Telecommunication Union—World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA) 2024 in New Delhi on Tuesday.

He added that telecom as a medium, was bridging the gap between villages and cities, rich and poor. He said that there are four pillars of Digital India— low-priced devices, extensive reach of digital connectivity to every nook and corner of the country, easily accessible data, and the goal of ‘Digital First’—identified and worked upon simultaneously, leading to good results.

During the program, Modi also inaugurated the 8th edition of the India Mobile Congress and walked through the exhibition showcased on occasion.

Addressing the gathering, PM Modi welcomed the Union Minister for Communication, Jyotiradiya Scindia, Minister of State for Communication, Chandrasekhar Pemmasani, Secretary General of ITU Doreen Bogdan-Martin.

Listing India’s achievements, Modi said that India has a mobile phone user base of 120 crores or 1200 million, 95 crores or 950 million internet users, and digital transactions of more than 40% of the entire world in real-time.

The Prime Minister discussed telecom sector reforms and said that the cost of internet data cost in India is now as low as 12 cents per GB compared to many countries where one GB of data is 10 to 20 times more expensive. “Today, every Indian consumes about 30 GB of data on an average every month”, he said.

He further added that India has showcased how digital connectivity had become an effective tool for last-mile delivery.

He said the government has created a strong network of mobile towers nationwide. The Prime Minister underscored the remarkable advancements in infrastructure, including the rapid installation of Wi-Fi facilities at public places like railway stations and the connection of islands like Andaman-Nicobar and Lakshadweep through undersea cables. “In just ten years, India has laid optical fiber which is eight times the distance between Earth and the Moon,” he added.

He also pointed out India’s rapid adoption of 5G technology. The technology was launched two years ago, and today, nearly every district is connected, making India the world’s second-largest 5G market.

He further mentioned that India is already progressing towards 6G technology, ensuring a future-ready infrastructure.