India aims to roll out 6G telecom network by end of decade: PM Modi

Noting that India is gearing up to launch 5G, the prime minister said, the technology will add USD 450 billion to the Indian economy. “This is not just increasing internet speed but also the pace of development and creating jobs.”

The 5G technology will bring positive change in governance of the country, ease of living and ease of doing business, the PM said adding, “It will boost growth in agriculture, health, education, infrastructure and logistics.”

The country, under his government, has moved transparently to 4G and is now going to 5G and TRAI has played a very important role in this transition, PM Modi said while speaking at the silver jubilee event of telecom sector regulator TRAI.

Modi also assured that whenever the telecom industry has faced challenges like retrospective tax or adjusted gross revenue, then his government has responded to the crisis and undertaken reforms. “These efforts have created new trust. The result of this is that over one-and-a-half times more FDI in the telecom sector has come in the last 8 years compared to the amount that came into the country before 2014,” Modi said.

Teledensity and internet users are fast expanding, he said, adding that mobile manufacturing units in India have expanded from 2 to over 200 and the country is now the world’s biggest mobile manufacturing hub.

The prime minister also said that his government has encouraged healthy competition that has led to India having one of the cheapest telecom data charges in the world.