The Prime Minister's Office posted an English rendering of the Prime Minister's speech during the India Mobile Congress 2025 at Yashobhoomi, Delhi on October 8, 2025, at 1:19 PM by PIB Delhi.
The Prime Minister addressed attendees including Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and Minister of State Chandra Shekhar Pemmasani. The India Mobile Congress (IMC) has evolved into Asia's largest digital technology forum. Government initiatives such as the Telecom Technology Development Fund and the Digital Communications Innovations Square are providing funding for startups to build products using technologies like 5G, 6G, Advanced Optical Communications, and Tera-Hertz. The government is facilitating partnerships between startups and premier research institutes.
India's electronics production has increased six times compared to 2014, and mobile phone manufacturing has grown by twenty-eight times, with exports increasing by one hundred and twenty-seven times. The mobile phone manufacturing sector has created millions of direct jobs. Approximately three and a half lakh jobs have been created due to 45 Indian companies being linked to the supply chain of one big smartphone company. India has launched its Made in India 4G stack, joining a group of five countries with this capability, and simultaneously activated nearly 1 lakh 4G towers across the country, benefiting over 2 crore people.
The Telecommunications Act has replaced older laws, streamlining approvals and right-of-way permissions, which is facilitating fiber and tower network expansion. Laws against cyber frauds have been tightened, and accountability and Grievance Redressal mechanisms have been improved. India is the second largest telecom market and 5G market in the world, with a large and skilled youth population and the fastest-growing developer population. The cost of 1 GB of wireless data is less than the price of a cup of tea.
The Prime Minister announced that 15th August of this year is the year of big changes and big reforms. India has taken steps to diversify semiconductor manufacturing and is currently working on 10 semiconductor manufacturing units. The India Mobile Congress has invited more than 500 startups this year. India has the opportunity to provide solutions to the world for global bottlenecks.
(Release ID: 2176184)
Key Entities Referenced
India Mobile Congress (IMC): A technology forum in India that has expanded to encompass digital technologies beyond mobile and telecom.
Telecommunications Act: A modern legal framework replacing the Indian Telegraph Act and the Indian Wireless Telegraph Act to facilitate technological advancements.
Aatmanirbhar Bharat: A vision for a self-reliant India in various sectors, including technology.
Make in India: An initiative promoting domestic manufacturing of technologically advanced products in India.
Delhi: Location of the India Mobile Congress event
Prime Minister's Office
English rendering of PM’s speech during India
Mobile Congress 2025 at Yashobhoomi, Delhi
Posted On: 08 OCT 2025 1:19PM by PIB Delhi
My colleague in cabinet Jyotiraditya Scindia ji, Minister of State Chandra Shekhar Pemmasani ji,
representatives from various states, our guests from abroad, all the dignitaries associated with the telecom
sector, my young friends from various colleges present here, ladies and gentlemen!
I welcome all of you guests to this special edition of the India Mobile Congress. Right now, many of our
startups have given their presentations on many important topics. Seeing presentations on key topics like
Financial Fraud Prevention, Quantum Communication, 6G, Optical Communication, Semiconductors, and
more, gives me the confidence that India's technological future is in capable hands. I wish you all the best for
this event and for all your new initiatives.
Friends,
This event of IMC is no longer limited to just Mobile or Telecom. In just a few years, this IMC event has
become Asia's largest digital technology forum.
Friends,
How was this success story of IMC written? Who drove it?
Friends,
This success story has been written by India's Tech Savvy Mindset, it has been led by our youth, India's talent,
it has been given momentum by our innovators, our startups. This has been possible because the government
stands firmly behind the country's talent and capabilities. Through schemes like the Telecom Technology
Development Fund and the Digital Communications Innovations Square, we are providing funding to our
startups. The government is funding test beds for technologies like 5G, 6G, Advanced Optical
Communications, and Tera-Hertz, so that our startups can build their products. We are facilitating
partnerships between startups and premier research institutes in the country. Today, with government support,
Indian industry, startups, and academia are working together in many areas. Whether it's developing and
scaling indigenous technologies, creating intellectual property through R&D, or contributing to the
development of global standards, India is progressing in every dimension. It is the result of these efforts that
today India has emerged as an effective platform.
Friends,
India Mobile Congress and India's success in the telecom sector reflects the strength of the vision of
Aatmanirbhar Bharat. You remember, when I talked about Make in India, how some people used to make fun
of it. People living in doubt used to say that how will India make technologically advanced things? Because,
in their times, it took several decades for new technology to reach India. The country gave a befitting reply.
The country which once struggled with 2G, today 5G has reached almost every district of the same country.
Our electronics production has increased six times compared to 2014. Mobile Phone Manufacturing has
grown by Twenty-Eight Times, and exports by One Hundred Twenty-Seven Times. In the last decade, the
Mobile Phone Manufacturing Sector has created millions of direct jobs. Recently, data from a big smartphone
company has come out. Today, 45 Indian companies are linked to the supply chain of that one big company.
Due to this, about three and a half lakh jobs have been created in the country. And this is not just the figure of
one company. Today, many companies in the country are manufacturing on a large scale. If we add indirect
opportunities to this, then we can imagine how big this number of employment becomes.Friends,
Just a few days ago, India launched its Made in India 4G stack. This is a major swadeshi achievement for the
country. Now India has joined the list of only five countries in the world that have this capability. This is a big
step for the country towards digital self-reliance, towards technological independence. Through indigenous
4G and 5G stack, we will not only be able to ensure seamless connectivity but will also be able to provide fast
internet and reliable services to the countrymen. For this very purpose, on the day we launched our Made in
India 4G stack, nearly 1 lakh 4G towers were also activated simultaneously across the country. Some
countries in the world find it astonishing when we talk about 1 lakh towers; these figures seem huge to people.
Due to this, more than 2 crore people have simultaneously become a part of the digital movement of the
country. There were many remote areas that had lagged behind in digital connectivity. Now internet
connectivity has reached all such areas.
Friends,
India's Made in India 4G stack has another unique feature. Our 4G stack is also export ready. This means it
will also serve as a medium for India's business outreach. This will also help in achieving India 2030, i.e.,
‘India 6G Vision’.
Friends,
India's technology revolution has progressed rapidly in the past 10 years. And to match this speed and scale,
the need for a strong legal and modern policy foundation has long been felt. We enacted the
Telecommunications Act to achieve this. This single law replaced both the Indian Telegraph Act and the
Indian Wireless Telegraph Act. These laws were made at a time when people like you and me sitting here
were not even born. And so, at the policy level, there was a need to create a new system in line with a 21st-
century approach, and that's exactly what we have done. This new law acts as a facilitator, not a regulator.
Approvals have become easier, and right-of-way permissions are being granted more quickly. Its results are
also visible. Fiber and tower networks are expanding rapidly. This has increased the ease of doing business,
investments are being encouraged, and industries have been facilitated in long-term planning.
Friends,
Today we are giving equal priority to cyber security in the country. Laws against cyber frauds have been
tightened, and accountability has also been increased. And the mechanism of Grievance Redressal has also
been improved. Both the industry and consumers are getting huge benefits from this.
Friends,
Today, the entire world is recognizing India's potential. We have the second largest telecom market in the
world. The second-largest 5G market is here. And along with the market, we also have manpower, mobility
and mindset. And when it comes to manpower, India has both scale and skill together. Today India has the
largest youth population in the world, and this generation is being skilled on a very large scale. Today India is
the country with the fastest growing developer population in the world.
Friends,
Today in India, the cost of one GB of wireless data is less than the price of a cup of tea, I have a habit of
giving the example of tea. In Per User Data Consumption, we are among the leading countries in the world.
This means that digital connectivity is no longer a privilege or a luxury in India. This is an integral part of the
life of Indians.
Friends,
India also appears to be at the forefront of the mindset for fostering industry and investment. India's
democratic setup, welcoming approach of the government and ease of doing business policies have made
India known as an investor-friendly destination. Our success in digital public infrastructure is a testament to
how the government is committed to a digital-first mindset. That's why I say with full confidence - This is the
best time to invest, innovate and make in India! From Manufacturing to Semiconductors, Mobiles to
Electronics and Startups, in every field, India has a lot of potential and a lot of energy.Friends,
Just a few weeks ago, on 15th August, I announced from the Red Fort that this year is the year of big changes,
big reforms. We are accelerating the pace of reforms, and therefore, the responsibility of our industry and our
innovators is also increasing. And our startups and our young innovators have a big role to play in this. With
their speed and risk-taking abilities, startups are creating new paths and new opportunities. And that's why I
am happy to see that IMC has also invited more than 500 startups this year, giving them the opportunity to
connect with investors and global mentors.
Friends,
The role of our established players is continuously increasing in the growth of this sector. These players
provide stability, scale and direction to take the country's economy forward. They have research and
development capabilities. And that's why, we will be powered by both the speed of startups and the scale of
established players.
Friends,
There are many topics related to our industry that require collaboration between young startups, our academia,
research institutes, the research community, and policymakers. If a platform like IMC is useful in initiating
such dialogue, perhaps our benefits will increase manifold.
Friends,
We have to see where the disruptions are occurring in the global supply chain. Wherever there are global
bottlenecks in mobile, telecom, electronics, and the entire technology ecosystem, India has an opportunity to
provide solutions to the world. For example, we recognized that semiconductor manufacturing capacity was
limited to a few countries, and the entire world was seeking diversification. Today, India has taken significant
steps in this direction. Work is underway on 10 semiconductor manufacturing units in India.
Friends,
In electronics manufacturing, global companies are looking for trusted partners that deliver both scale and
reliability. The world also wants reliable partners for the design and manufacturing of telecom network
equipment. Can't Indian companies become reliable global suppliers and design partners?
Friends,
Mobile manufacturing, from chipsets and batteries to displays and sensors, requires more of this work to be
done within the country. The world is generating more data than ever before. Therefore, issues like storage,
security, and sovereignty will become increasingly important. By working on data centers and cloud
infrastructure, India can become a global data hub.
Friends,
I hope that in the coming sessions, we will move forward with this approach and this target. Once again, I
extend my best wishes to all of you for this entire IMC program. Thank you very much to all of you.
Thank you.
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MJPS/VJ/SS
(Release ID: 2176184)