Source: Press Information Bureau (PIB), Government of India — Prime Minister's Office · PIB Delhi · Read the original release on pib.gov.in
My colleague in the Union Cabinet Jyotiraditya Scindia ji, Minister of State Chandrashekhar Pemmasani ji, ministers of various state governments, G.S.M.A. All the members of the Board, representatives of Telecom Operators from all over the world, industry leaders, experts, my young friends from different colleges and startups of the country, ladies and gentlemen.
Today is 8th October, it is a special day for India. We celebrate today as Air Force Day. I salute all our brave men and wish the nation a very happy Air Force Day.
friends,
As Scindia ji was telling just now, yesterday I completed 25 years of serving the country as the 'Head of the Government'. This has been a smooth journey of service for me. I express my gratitude to every countryman and every friend of India across the world for their good wishes.
friends,
It is also a coincidence that on this occasion, 10 years of the conference of 'India Mobile Congress' has also been completed. India was selected for the GSMA Board meeting this year. I welcome and congratulate all the representatives of Telecom Operators, Industry Leaders, Experts, Academia and Start-ups from all over the world to India.
friends,
This morning itself the news has come that famous actor Nana Patkar ji is no more among us. He was a great actor, who won the hearts of the audience through different characters. Nana Patekar ji's life was dedicated to the pride and glory of the tricolor. He did not remain in bondage, he flew in the sky of films like a bird. He strongly attacked the chaos prevailing in the society through his films. He was a revolutionary who worked against evil. As loud as his speech was, his silence was equally effective. He was a supporter of continuous control on anti-nationals. I pay tribute to Nana Patekar ji and express my condolences to his family and loved ones.
Friends,
I have had the opportunity to be among you all at several editions of ‘India Mobile Congress’. This platform has been a witness to how the telecom sector and digital connectivity has evolved. In 2022, from this very platform we had launched 5G in the country, then in 2023 I had told how India is moving towards 5G Roll-out to 5G Reach-out. And today we all are seeing, 5G connectivity has reached every district of the country. Today there are more than five and a half lakh base stations in India from where the 5G network is operating. And mobile internet speed has increased 10 times compared to 2022.
friends,
On this platform of India Mobile Congress, in 2024, we will launch International Telecommunication Union, I.T.U. Saw the presence of. Then we talked about the need for Global Standards for the Digital World. And last year there was discussion on Invest, Innovate and Make in India. India Mobile Congress has also played an important role in where India has reached today in the telecom sector. Over the years, this platform has emerged as a platform for India's progress and India's dreams. Therefore, I extend a special greeting to all of you.
Friends,
This year, all of you have decided the topic for your brainstorming in this summit, Scale without boundaries, expanding beyond every limit. I would like to tell you from India's experiences how we have lived out the dream of Scale without boundaries.
friends,
When we talk about Telecom, there is often discussion about the network, there is debate on spectrum, there is talk about towers, reach and speed. But telecom has other meanings for the people of India. In the last 10-12 years, mobile phones have emerged as a medium of modern communication as well as an important tool for good governance. And this has been at the core of our Digital India vision.
friends,
Today we hear that data is cheap in India, mobile phones are cheap, mobile phone user base has expanded so much, all this is true in its own right, but how did this happen? And why was all this done? When we understand this, India's focus and India's focus area will be very clear to everyone.
friends,
Till a decade ago, the digital divide was a big challenge in India. Modern technology was becoming a privilege. That means, only those who have the means could take advantage of modern technology. The same situation was developing in India. With the Digital India campaign, we decided to change this situation and brought mobile phones at its center. This was a huge effort to democratize technology. For this, every necessary reform was done in the telecom sector and infrastructure was expanded. We focused on making mobile phones and other telecom hardware in India.
friends,
With every such effort, the common citizen of India became more accessible to mobile phones and data. And today it is increasing the ease of living of the people of India. Even during Covid, we saw how everything had come to a halt. But in India, offices continued to function, banks continued to function, studies continued. This happened because of India's Digital Ecosystem. Mobile and internet connectivity kept Education, Health, Payments and Government Services running without any interruption. Today, even the children of remote and poor villages are able to access quality knowledge. Digital learning is becoming accessible to everyone.
friends,
Let me give you a figure, which further reveals the impact of Digital India. We have a Diksha platform for online education. During Covid, by July 2022, more than 500 crore learning sessions and about 6 thousand crore learning minutes were recorded on this platform. Now our effort is to connect about 25 crore students through all our digital and online education mediums.
That means friends,
The revolution that has taken place in the field of telecom has directly benefited the citizens of India. You know that India is a diverse country in every way, be it language or geography. Due to this, many inconveniences arise in people's lives. Mobile connectivity has also added convenience to this diversity. Earlier, most of the banks were in cities only, hospitals were in cities, government offices were at block or district level. That is, if any work was to be done or any government service was to be availed, then both money and time of the people had to be spent. Digital governance has changed these circumstances. Today hundreds of government services are available on mobile phones. Government assistance now goes directly into the accounts of beneficiaries. About Rs 50 lakh crore through direct benefit transfer, Rs 50 lakh crore was sent directly to the mobile phones of the beneficiaries and reached their bank accounts. And from this, about Rs 5 lakh crore, this figure is not small, Rs 5 lakh crore is saved from going into wrong hands. Now tell me, those whose free earnings have stopped, will they love Modi? Did I do it right or not? Should it be done or not? Should all these wrong actions be stopped or not? No matter how much they shout and scream, I am determined to do this, I will keep doing it.
If friends,
Had the old system been in place, Rs 5 lakh crore of the government would have gone into leakage and would have filled the pockets of such people, Modi has stopped this. And now the same money is being given to the right beneficiary and the remaining money is being used for the right purpose.
friends,
Under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, we have deposited more than Rs 4 lakh crore in the bank accounts of farmers. This amount is sent every 4 months and the farmer gets its message on his mobile phone only. This money has reached crores of small farmers, to whom the benefits of government schemes never reached.
That means friends,
Mobile phone is not just a medium for chat, but it has ensured Less Travel, Less Waiting, Less Cost, More Convenience, all this. And this is the biggest citizen dividend of technology.
friends,
India's telecom infrastructure has expanded continuously over the past decade. Towers were installed in remote areas, optical fiber expanded unprecedentedly and data also became cheaper. This has also created new sectors of the economy. This has also created new consumers in the technology, entertainment and education sectors, and has also created a new generation of new creators. If you look at the gaming sector itself, it is estimated that today more than 50 crore people in India are connected to the gaming ecosystem in some way or the other. A large number of these are the youth of India. The youth of Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities are also associated with it. Now, along with being associated with gaming, he is also competing in e-sports, creating gaming content and building new gaming businesses. That means in India today the mobile phone is both a gaming console and has also become a studio of creation.
friends,
The telecom revolution in India has brought the same change in the world of content as well. Better, fast connectivity and cheap data have taken many video sharing platforms, social media and regional OTT to villages and towns. Due to this, the problems and restrictions related to language have also been removed. This means that the industry related to content creation alone has become worth thousands of crores of rupees in India today, from which lakhs and lakhs of people are earning. That means mobile phones have also democratized content creation in India.
friends,
Today, when telecom and digital technology is so important, it is very important to strengthen the security framework related to it. Phone security and network security are the priority of all of us. For an ordinary citizen who does not think in terms of protocols or architecture, trust is very important. When he gets on the phone, he knows who is calling. When a message comes, he should know whether it is real or fake. When payment is made, he can be confident that his money is safe. When he gives his data in any form, he should be confident that his data is secure.
friends,
Technology achieves scale only when it achieves trust. And you all know that Cyber Fraud and Cyber Crime also do not recognize boundaries, they have already gone beyond the boundaries. A person sitting in one country, with the help of another country, can commit a crime in a third country. We are also seeing how big a challenge deep-fakes have become. Therefore, it is important that we work on a global framework for this. Governments, Technology Companies, Telecom Operators and Financial Institutions, all will have to join this Framework. I am G.S.M.A. And I also urge the Telecom Operators of the world to create a global mechanism that can stop such frauds before they reach the people. India has learned a lot from its experience in this direction, and India is always ready to share its experiences with the world.
friends,
There are only four years left in this decade. What you will discuss now in this edition of India Mobile Congress will strengthen the roadmap of the next decade. And this roadmap will give direction to the mobile market of India as well as the entire world. Over the years, India has traveled from a consumer to a creator. Now India is moving towards that goal, where the product and design will also be in India, its technology and IP will also be from India. For this, every necessary incentive is being given, every necessary reform is being done. This means that Reform Express is moving forward rapidly in the telecom sector also. We are modernizing decades old laws. Through the Telecommunications Act, we have created a modern regulatory framework. A.G.R. And the work of rationalizing structural burdens like bank guarantees and converting burdens into wonders is also being done from our side. And Gatishakti communication portal has made Right of Way approvals faster through digital medium.
friends,
India's semiconductor and semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem is also gaining momentum. So far, commercial production has also started at five locations. In the next phase of India Semiconductor Mission, our focus is on the entire supply chain. That means India is taking big steps in every field related to the telecom sector.
friends,
A lot has been achieved through India Mobile Congress over the years, but this journey of development is about crossing new milestones every day. We have a huge resolve for a developed India, for this we have to continue expanding our efforts. The technologies displayed here have their own importance. But I.M.C. Let us be remembered for the partnerships that have been formed here. We should be remembered for the research projects that have started here, we should be remembered for the products that have reached the world from here, and we should be remembered for the innovations that have come out of India and served humanity. We have to make IMC a platform which can become a junction of technology, research, industry, investment and ideas. I am sure that all of you will continue to strive hard for this. With this expectation, once again many best wishes to all of you.
Thank you very much.
This is the official press release issued by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), and is published without changes.
