The minister also said that India’s first telecom manufacturing zone (TMZ) will come up in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh.
“You all heard about SEZs…now the world will hear about a TMZ – an ecosystem only for the telecom sector, for data centres, for chip manufacturers, where we are putting in place a full plug-and-play system between the government of Madhya Pradesh and the government of India,” Scindia said at an event on India Mobile Congress 2026 theme launch.
Scindia observed that when technology reaches every citizen, it creates opportunity, and when opportunity reaches every citizen, transformation becomes inevitable.
India today has reached that cusp, he pointed out.
“Mobile phones are today in the hands of 1.33 billion people, and data prices have fallen from Rs 287 per GB to around Rs 8 per GB. That is democratisation…As we lay the foundation stone of the next chapter, we must examine how innovations, technology and ideas from India can cross borders and go across the world,” Scindia said.
The minister said that outcomes of technology are the best when it reaches every single citizen and benefits them.
“Today, India has capabilities in the technologies we build, the standards we shape and the solutions we provide for the world,” Scindia added.
He said such is the power of India’s telecom revolution that 5G has reached almost 50 crore people in a record time of two and a half years.
“…in India, between the government and yourselves (industry), did that in a record time of two and a half years. Rs 4,50,000 crore of capex, close to about 5,00,000 towers built out, and today 50 crore people connected. will connect 100 crore people on 5G,” he said.
The minister asserted that with 6G, India will combine the physical, the digital and intelligence into one seamless ecosystem.
“Through the Bharat 6G Alliance and our work on global standards, India is preparing to contribute at a level that was never possible before. At the same time, we are building a strong manufacturing ecosystem through the PLI scheme and the country’s first Telecom Manufacturing Zone in Gwalior,” he pointed out.
Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development Chandrasekhar Pemmasani noted that India launched indigenous 4G technology with close to 90 per cent quality standards in relation to established international players.
“Our ministry is now looking at what we can do to take this to the next level. We have mobile connectivity, and now the focus is on proliferating broadband connectivity to every nook and corner of the country.
“BharatNet is being implemented on a mission mode, and 5G FWA and other initiatives are the mechanisms through which we want to create high-speed internet access across India,” Pemmasani said.
He further said that the government is committed to making the last decade of Digital India the next decade of Intelligent India – be it 6G, quantum communications, artificial intelligence, satellites or new and upcoming technologies.
Scindia also unveiled ‘Scale Without Boundaries’ as the theme for the tenth edition of India Mobile Congress.
Organized by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Ministry of Communications, and the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), the upcoming IMC is expected to attract over 1.5 lakh attendees, feature more than 300 exhibitors and partners from over 100 countries, and showcase over 1,500 technology use cases.
This year’s IMC – the mega event is billed as Asia’s largest digital technology showcase – is scheduled to be held between October 7-10, 2026, at Yashobhoomi Convention Centre, New Delhi.
IMC 2026 will showcase innovations across connectivity (5G and 6G), Artificial Intelligence, Semiconductors, Electronics Manufacturing, Quantum Computing, Cybersecurity, Satellite Communications, DeepTech, CleanTech, Industry 4.0 and Enterprise Transformation, along with new emerging verticals such as Smart Mobility, Stadium Experiences, Industrial Automation and Transport Tech.
The event will bring together governments, industry leaders, startups, investors, academia and technology pioneers to accelerate digital transformation and shape trusted, scalable digital ecosystems, a release said.
