Staff Reporter
Guwahati: India has joined the world's elite group of five nations that have successfully built their own 4G stack. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India's fully indigenous 4G stack and one lakh BSNL indigenous 4G towers from Jharsuguda, Odisha today.
Union Minister for Communications and Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jyotiraditya M. Scindia joined the programme virtually from Assam alongside Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma and highlighted the historic significance of this achievement. Lauding the landmark achievement, the Union Minister stated that, guided by Prime Minister Modi's vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, BSNL had committed to developing its own indigenous 4G stack, 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.
Scindia lauded PM Modi's vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, noting, "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 2 crore citizens and connects nearly 30,000 previously unserved villages. "This is India's moment to shine as a Product Nation," Scindia affirmed.
Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, in his address, said that it is a matter of pride that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is dedicating the Swadeshi 4G network to the nation today. In the coming days, BSNL will upgrade this Swadeshi 4G network to 5G, and by 2030, it will launch the 6G network, he added. CM Sarma further informed that one of the five BSNL data centres in India will be set up in Guwahati, and this will also help in employment generation for the local youths.
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.
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, empowering the last citizen in line," DoNER minister Scindia said.
Highlighting BSNL's role in positioning India for 5G and 6G leadership, with the indigenous stack ready for global export, reflecting Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, Scindia said, "PM Modi's vision has made India a digital vishwa-guru, with 50% of global digital transactions powered by UPI." With state-central synergy, this initiative paves the way for a secure, skilled, and Viksit Bharat by 2047.
Swadeshi 4G towers were inaugurated across several states with participation from key Union Ministers and Chief Ministers.
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