Key Points

Lauding the landmark achievement, the Union Minister stated that BSNL had committed to developing its own indigenous 4G stack guided by Prime Minister Modi's vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, and remarkably, within just 22 months, India has joined the world's elite group of five nations that have successfully built their own 4G stack.

"This is a moment of pride for the entire nation as India advances towards becoming a global leader in the telecommunications sector," he said.

Swadeshi 4G towers were inaugurated across several states with participation from key Union Ministers and Chief Ministers.

Union Ministers Ram Mohan Naidu, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Pankaj Chaudhary, Raosaheb Nikhil Khadse, Chandrashekhar Pemmasani, Mansukh Mandaviya and Giriraj Singh were among those who attended the event at different venues.

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Andhra Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar also joined the programme.

Scindia lauded PM Modi's vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

"When 2G, 3G, and 4G emerged globally, India relied on foreign technology. Today, BSNL's expertise has reversed this, establishing India as a global telecom manufacturing hub." The cloud-based, 5G-upgradable swadeshi stack serves over two crore citizens and connects nearly 30,000 previously unserved villages.

A release said that BSNL's Rs 37,000 crore initiative has deployed 97,500 towers, of which 92,633 are operational, transforming connectivity across remote, tribal, and hilly areas.

These towers, equipped for 5G readiness, benefit students, farmers, patients, and the armed forces. Subscriber growth has surged from 78 lakh in April 2024 to 2.2 crore, with consecutive profits of Rs 280 crore (Jan-Mar FY25) and Rs 261 crore (Q3 FY25), aided by Rs 25,000 crore in capital infusion. "This is India's moment to shine as a Product Nation," Scindia affirmed.

The release said the Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) has activated 19,823 of 27,106 targeted towers, connecting 26,327 villages and nearly 20 lakh households across aspirational districts, North-East regions, border areas, and LWE zones. In August 2025, these towers facilitated 42,773 TB of data usage, averaging 21 GB per customer. "From remote Odisha to hilly Assam, DBN ensures education, healthcare, and governance reach every doorstep," Scindia said, "empowering the last citizen in line."

Scindia highlighted BSNL's role in positioning India for 5G and 6G leadership, with the indigenous stack ready for global export, reflecting Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. "PM Modi's vision has made India a digital vishwa-guru, with 50% of global digital transactions powered by UPI," he said.

- ANI