Prime Minister Narendra Modi launches 5G services with Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and billionaires Mukesh Ambani of Reliance and MoS Devusinh Jesingbhai Chauhan. (Express photo by Praveen Khanna)Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while launching 5G telephony services and inaugurating the India Mobile Congress in New Delhi on Saturday, said that although the summit was global, the thought process and voice behind it was definitely local.
During his address at the event, the Prime Minister said, “With 2G, 3G and 4G, India was dependent on other nations. However, with 5G, India has set the global standard in telecom technology.”
Highlighting the development the current BJP-led government has brought about in India, PM Modi said that before 2014, India just had two mobile manufacturing units while now it is home to over 200 factories. “Our nation focused on cost of devices and data tariffs to drive digital penetration.”
India got 5G mobile services — almost five years after the country took its first steps towards the launch of the next generation of mobile telephony. The 5G coverage will progressively cover the entire country over the next couple of years. The cumulative economic impact of 5G on India is estimated to reach $450 billion by 2035.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launches 5G services in India. (Express photo by Praveen Khanna) After inaugurating the exhibition at Pragati Maidan here, PM Modi went around pavilions set up by different telecom operators and technology providers to get a first-hand experience of what 5G can do.
The Prime Minister started with Reliance Jio’s stalls, where he witnessed the ‘True 5G’ devices displayed and experienced the use case through Jio Glass.
Flanked by Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and billionaires Mukesh Ambani of Reliance, Sunil Bharti Mittal of Bharti Airtel and Kumar Mangalam Birla of Vodafone Idea, he spent time understanding the indigenous development of end-to-end 5G technology.
He thereafter visited stalls of Airtel, Vodafone Idea, C-DOT and others. During the event PM Modi also interacted with students in Maharashtra, where Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was also present.
The Prime Minister then interacted with a worker in a tunnel in Delhi where
Minister of State for Communications, Devusinh Jesingbhai Chauhan, opened the stage by thanking the Prime Minister for the inauguration of the event and the launch of 5G services in select cities.
During his speech the MoS said, “PM Modi’s ‘Atmnirbhar’ vision made India developed 4G, 5G service. We will surely make 6G soon.”
Minister for Railways, Communications, Electronics and IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw, said, “Today’s launch will be written in gold in the history of Telecom services in the world. Under PM Modi, telecommunication industry has been given the title of a ‘strategic sector’.
“The Prime Minister’s focus on the technological aspect of the whole process, has made telecom a sunrise industry,” Vaishnaw added.
India will emerge as the world leader in Telecom industry, the Union Minister said.
Reliance Industries Ltd. chairman Mukesh Ambani, who was present during the event said, Jio will launch affordable 5G services and cover every nook and corner of the country by December 2023.
Thanking the PM, Union Minister Vaishnaw and MoS Chauhan, Ambani also said that soon the Indian mobile congress should become Asian Mobile Congress and further International Mobile congress.
He also said, “Every policy of the govt is skillfully crafted for making the nation developed by 2040.”
Meanwhile, Bharti Airtel is launching 5G telecom services in eight cities, including four metros, on Saturday and will progressively cover the entire country by March 2024, its chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal said.
Speaking at the IMC 2022, he said the nation’s oldest private telecom operator is launching 5G mobile services in eight major cities and will cover most parts by March 2023 and the entire country by March 2024.
(With inputs from PTI)