Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said India’s telecom sector is steadily moving towards greater self-reliance, with mobile connectivity emerging as a crucial tool for good governance and improving the ease of living for citizens.
Inaugurating the 10th edition of the India Mobile Congress at Yashobhoomi in New Delhi, the Prime Minister said the mobile phone has evolved beyond being a medium of communication and has become central to India’s Digital India vision.
He said the country had faced a major digital divide about a decade ago, when modern technology was increasingly becoming a privilege available only to those with the necessary resources.
“With the Digital India campaign, we decided to change this reality, and placed the mobile phone at its center. This was a massive endeavor towards the democratization of technology,” PM Modi said.
The Prime Minister said hundreds of government services can now be accessed through mobile phones, while government assistance is being transferred directly into beneficiaries’ bank accounts.
He said more than ₹50 lakh crore has been transferred directly to beneficiaries through digital platforms, preventing around ₹5 lakh crore from leaking into wrong hands.
Highlighting the PM-KISAN Samman Nidhi, PM Modi said more than ₹4 lakh crore has been transferred directly to small farmers who had previously been unable to access the benefits of government schemes.
He said mobile connectivity has reduced the need for travel and waiting, lowered costs and brought greater convenience to citizens.
“This is technology’s biggest citizen dividend,” the Prime Minister said.
PM Modi also highlighted the role of digital connectivity in education, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. He said digital platforms helped keep offices, banks and schools functioning during the lockdown period and enabled children in remote areas to access educational resources.
Referring to the DIKSHA platform, the Prime Minister said it recorded more than 5 billion learning sessions and 60 billion learning minutes up to July 2022 during the pandemic period.
He said the government is now working to connect around 25 crore students with digital and online education platforms.
The Prime Minister also underlined the emergence of new sectors as a result of the expansion of telecom infrastructure, optical fibre networks and affordable data.
Highlighting the growth of India’s gaming and creator economy, he said more than 50 crore people are now connected to the gaming ecosystem, with significant participation from young people in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities.
“The mobile phone in India is today a gaming console as well and has also become a studio of creation,” he said.
PM Modi said affordable connectivity has also helped democratise content creation, enabling video-sharing platforms and regional OTT services to reach smaller towns and rural areas.
On cybersecurity, the Prime Minister said strengthening the security framework for phones and networks was essential as digital technology becomes increasingly integrated into daily life.
“Phone and network security is a priority for all of us,” he said.
He stressed that citizens must have confidence that callers and messages are genuine and that their personal information and financial transactions are secure.
The Prime Minister also called for a global framework to tackle cyber fraud and deepfakes, saying such threats transcend national boundaries.
“We are all witnessing the major challenge that deepfakes have become. That is why it is crucial to work on a global framework to tackle this,” PM Modi said.
He called for greater cooperation among governments, technology companies, telecom operators and financial institutions to develop mechanisms to prevent digital fraud before it reaches users.
On India’s technological journey, PM Modi said the country has moved from being a consumer to becoming a creator and is now working towards ensuring that products, designs, technology and intellectual property are developed and owned domestically.
“Now, India is marching towards the goal, where the product and design will be made in India, and its technology and IP will also belong to India,” he said.
The Prime Minister said reforms in the telecom sector, incentives for domestic manufacturing and initiatives such as the Telecommunications Act and GatiShakti portal are supporting this transition.
He also said India’s semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem is expanding, with commercial production already underway at five locations, while the next phase of the India Semiconductor Mission will focus on greater localisation of the semiconductor supply chain.
Highlighting the evolution of the India Mobile Congress, PM Modi recalled that 5G was launched from the platform in 2022. He said 5G networks are now operational through more than 5.5 lakh base stations and have reached every district in the country, while internet speeds have increased tenfold.
He said the India Mobile Congress has also emerged as a platform reflecting India’s technological progress and aspirations, including through its engagement with the International Telecommunication Union and global technology stakeholders.
The Prime Minister called on the India Mobile Congress to evolve beyond being a technology showcase and become a global platform for innovations, research and partnerships aimed at addressing challenges facing humanity.
Earlier in his address, PM Modi paid tribute to the personnel of the Indian Air Force on Air Force Day and expressed condolences over the demise of veteran actor Nana Patekar.
The Prime Minister also expressed gratitude to citizens and friends of India across the world for their greetings on the completion of 25 years of his service as Head of Government.
-PIB
