PM Modi Inaugurates India Mobile Congress 2025, Highlights India’s Telecom Success

New Delhi, Oct 8: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 9th edition of the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2025 — Asia’s largest telecom, media, and technology event — at Yashobhoomi, New Delhi, on Wednesday. Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister lauded India’s rapid digital transformation and said that the country’s success in the telecom sector reflects the strength of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision.

Highlighting India’s technological leap, Modi said, “The country that once struggled with 2G now has 5G in almost every district.” He announced that India has developed its own Made-in-India 4G Stack, placing the nation among only five countries globally with this capability — a major milestone toward digital self-reliance.

The Prime Minister emphasized that India now ranks as the world’s second-largest telecom and 5G market, driven by a combination of manpower, mobility, and mindset. “Digital connectivity in India is no longer a privilege or luxury; it is an integral part of every Indian’s life,” he remarked, underscoring the government’s vision to make digital access universal and affordable.

Modi noted that electronics production has increased sixfold since 2014, mobile manufacturing has grown 28 times, and exports have surged by 127 times. He credited the government’s pro-innovation policies, including the Telecom Technology Development Fund and Digital Communications Innovation Square, for supporting startups and fostering collaboration among industry, academia, and research institutions.

He also highlighted the enactment of the new Telecommunications Act, which replaces colonial-era laws, and said it serves as a facilitator rather than a regulator — simplifying approvals and accelerating fiber and tower expansion.

Reiterating his call for global investment, Modi said, “This is the best time to invest, innovate, and make in India.” He encouraged the industry to focus on indigenous manufacturing of components like chipsets, batteries, and sensors, and to position India as a trusted global hub for telecom equipment and data infrastructure.

The Prime Minister also underlined the need for cybersecurity and robust laws to combat online fraud, stressing that both consumers and the industry are benefiting from enhanced digital safeguards.

Organised jointly by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), IMC 2025 is being held under the theme “Innovate to Transform.” The event brings together global leaders, policymakers, and innovators to showcase advancements in 6G, quantum communications, semiconductors, and optical technologies.

Over 1.5 lakh visitors from 150 countries, 7,000 delegates, and 400 companies are participating in IMC 2025, with more than 1,600 new use cases being showcased across emerging tech domains.

Union Ministers Jyotiraditya Scindia and Dr. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani were among the dignitaries present at the inauguration.