India Becomes Fifth Country Globally to Develop Fully Indigenous 4G Stack

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated India’s fully indigenous 4G stack along with one lakh BSNL 4G towers from Jharsuguda, Odisha. The landmark event, attended virtually by Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia from Assam and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, marks India’s emergence as the fifth country globally to develop a fully homegrown 4G network.

Union Minister Scindia lauded the achievement, stating, “Guided by PM Modi’s vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, BSNL committed to building its indigenous 4G stack. Within just 22 months, India has joined the elite group of nations with its own 4G technology. This is a moment of pride as India advances toward global leadership in telecommunications.”

Nationwide Participation

The inauguration of Swadeshi 4G towers took place across several states with participation from key Union Ministers and Chief Ministers. In Odisha, CM Mohan Charan Majhi joined; Andhra Pradesh saw participation from Union Ministers Ram Mohan Naidu, Chandrashekhar Pemmasani, and CM N. Chandrababu Naidu; Uttar Pradesh had Union Minister Pankaj Chaudhary and CM Yogi Adityanath; Maharashtra included Union Minister Raosaheb Nikhil Khadse, CM Devendra Fadnavis, and Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar; Rajasthan saw Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal and CM Bhajanlal Sharma; in Assam, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma attended; Gujarat was represented by Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and CM Bhupendra Patel; and Bihar by Union Minister Giriraj Singh and CM Nitish Kumar.

BSNL’s Indigenous Stack: A Step Toward Atmanirbhar Bharat

Scindia emphasized that India previously relied on foreign technology for 2G, 3G, and 4G. Today, the swadeshi 4G stack establishes India as a global telecom manufacturing hub. The cloud-based, 5G-upgradable system already serves over two crore citizens and connects nearly 30,000 previously unserved villages.

Historic Deployment: Over 97,500 Towers

BSNL’s ₹37,000-crore initiative has deployed 97,500 towers, of which 92,633 are operational, bringing connectivity to remote, tribal, and hilly regions. The towers, 5G-ready, benefit students, farmers, patients, and the armed forces. Subscriber growth surged from 78 lakh in April 2024 to 2.2 crore, supported by consecutive profits of ₹280 crore (Jan-Mar FY25) and ₹261 crore (Q3 FY25), alongside ₹25,000 crore capital infusion.

Digital Bharat Nidhi: Connecting 30,000 Villages

Under the Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN), 19,823 of 27,106 targeted towers are operational, connecting 26,327 villages and nearly 20 lakh households in aspirational districts, North-East regions, border areas, and LWE zones. In August 2025, these towers handled 42,773 TB of data usage, averaging 21 GB per user. “From remote Odisha to hilly Assam, DBN ensures education, healthcare, and governance reach every doorstep,” said Scindia.

A New Era of Global Leadership

Scindia noted that the indigenous stack positions India for leadership in 5G and 6G technologies, ready for global export. Highlighting PM Modi’s vision, he added, “India has become a digital vishwa-guru, with 50% of global digital transactions powered by UPI.” With strong state-central collaboration, the initiative is seen as a key step toward a secure, skilled, and developed India by 2047.

Also Read: Sonowal Flags Off India's Largest EV Truck Fleet at Jawaharlal Nehru Port