Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said India saw the fastest roll-out of 5G technology last year and that the country is now working on becoming a leader in 6G technology.

“India is not only expanding the 5G network but also laying emphasis on becoming a leader in 6G,” he said at his inaugural address at the 7th Edition of the India Mobile Congress 2023 here.

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Underling the fast pace of technology, the prime minister said, “The future is here and now”. He praised the exhibition placed for the occasion to provide glimpses of the future in telecom, technology, and connectivity.

Inaugurating 100 5G labs, strategically located in renowned engineering colleges across the country, Modi talked about 6G, artificial intelligence (AI), cyber security, semiconductors, drone or space sectors, deep sea, and green tech.

“The future is going to be entirely different and it is a matter of happiness that our young generation is leading the tech revolution,” he said.

Praising the milestones achieved by the 5G technology, Modi highlighted that within one year of 5G rollout, 4 lakh 5G base stations were developed which cover more than 97 per cent of cities and 80 per cent of the population.

He underlined that the speed of median mobile broadband has increased three times within one year. He further added that India moved from the 118th position to the 43rd position in terms of broadband speed.

He added that unlike in 2014, when India was a net importer of mobiles, today, it is the world’s second-largest mobile manufacturer. India is also manufacturing electronic goods worth Rs 2 trillion for exports.

The PM also threw light on the recent announcement by Google to manufacture pixel phones in India. “Samsung Fold Five and Apple iPhone 15 are already being manufactured here,” he said.

Need of the hour is to take forward the success in mobile and electronics and establish a strong semiconductor manufacturing sector in the country, he said.

“Today semiconductor companies from around the world, in collaboration with Indian companies, are investing in semiconductor assembly and testing facilities in the country,” he said, adding that a scheme worth Rs 80,000 crore has been designed for the development of semiconductors.

Reach of tech: The biggest social justice

Modi said beyond ranking and number, improvement in internet connectivity and speed lead to enhanced ease of living. He narrated the benefits of improved connectivity and speed in education, medicine, tourism, and agriculture.

“We believe in the power of democratization. The benefit of development should reach every section and region, everyone should benefit from the resources in India, and everyone should have a life of dignity. We are working rapidly in this direction,” he said. “For me, this is the biggest social justice,” he added.

Modi also mentioned that collateral-free loans under the Mudra scheme, access to toilets, and DBT through JAM Trinity have one thing in common that is they are ensuring previously inaccessible rights for the common citizens.

Highlighting the role of telecom technology , especially Bharat Net which has connected about 2 lakh gram panchayats with broadband., he said 10,000 Atal tinkering labs are exposing about 75 lakh children to cutting-edge technology.

He expressed hope that the newly-launched 5G use labs will have a similar impact. “These labs prompt the youth to dream big and give them the confidence to achieve them,” he added.

With the theme ‘Global Digital Innovation’, IMC 2023 aims to strengthen India’s position as a developer, manufacturer, and exporter of key cutting-edge technologies.

The three-day congress will highlight technologies such as 5G, 6G, and AI and discuss issues pertaining to the semiconductor industry, green technology, cyber security, among others.