80% of India’s urban population has access to high-speed Internet: PM Modi

Internet connectivity and speed increases ease of living, says Modi and praises operators for rapid rollout of 5G services across the country; says India is moving towards becoming a leader in 6G

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses at the inauguration of the seventh edition of the India Mobile Congress at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, in New Delhi on October 27, 2023. | Photo Credit: ANI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 27 hailed telecom operators’ progress in spreading 5G coverage in urban centres, saying that over 80% of India’s urban population now had access to the high speed technology. “Within a year of 5G launch, about 4 lakh 5G base stations have been built in India,” Mr. Modi said at the seventh India Mobile Congress event in New Delhi. 

“Improving internet connectivity and speed is not just about rankings and numbers,” Mr. Modi said, after mentioning Indian networks’ jump in global mobile data speed rankings. “Improving internet connectivity and speed also increases ease of living … it becomes easier for the student to connect with his teacher online, the patient has a seamless experience while connecting to his doctor for telemedicine [and] tourists can easily use online maps to find a location.”

“We are not only rapidly expanding 5G in India, but are also moving towards becoming a leader in the field of 6G,” Mr. Modi said, referring to research efforts in India to standardize the next generation of telecommunications. He took a swipe at the 2G scam, saying, “What happened here during 2G, maybe the new generation will not know … 4G expanded in our period but there is not a single stain” on that technology’s rollout, Mr. Modi said.

The Prime Minister pointed to increased domestic electronics manufacturing as a success, and cited Apple and Samsung’s smartphone assembly in India as an example. He also cited Google’s plans to assemble its Pixel lineup in India. “Today, we are exporting about Rs 2 lakh crore in electronic manufacturing,” Mr. Modi remarked. 

Minister of Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw told reporters on the sidelines of the event that even the component manufacturing ecosystem was taking shape in India, with camera modules for Apple coming together in India soon. “The value addition is increasing rapidly,” Mr. Vaishnaw said, citing the fact that Google designs chips that go into its Pixel phones in India.

Mr. Modi made a pitch to securing electronics supply chains, a likely reference to Chinese dominance in electronics assembly and manufacturing. “It is … necessary to discuss how we can make the democratic societies of the world safe from troublemakers,” Mr. Modi warned.