PM Modi Inaugurates WTSA 2024, Highlights India’s Telecom Achievements and Global Connectivity Vision

In a significant stride for India’s Telecom sector, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the International Telecommunication Union - World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA) 2024 at Bharat Mandapam on October 15. The Prime Minister also opened the 8th edition of the India Mobile Congress, underscoring the nation’s rapid advancements in connectivity and digital technology.

Addressing the gathering, Prime Minister Modi highlighted India’s remarkable achievements in the telecom sector, including the rapid expansion of mobile and internet users. He revealed that India now boasts a mobile phone user base of 1.2 billion people, 950 million internet users, and handles more than 40% of the world’s real-time digital transactions. He also emphasized India’s leadership in using digital connectivity as a powerful tool for last-mile delivery of services.

One of the standout moments of the Prime Minister’s address was when he mentioned India’s phenomenal achievement in optical fiber deployment. “In just 10 years, India has laid optical fiber which is eight times the distance between Earth and the Moon,” said Shri Modi. This unprecedented expansion in infrastructure has provided the backbone for connecting the most remote parts of India, from tribal areas to border regions, ensuring every household is within reach of modern communication networks.

The Prime Minister remarked that India is now among the leading nations in telecom and related technologies, and the combined organization of WTSA and the India Mobile Congress provides a unique platform to align global standards with cutting-edge services. Highlighting the significance of these two events, Shri Modi said, “WTSA empowers the world through consensus, and India Mobile Congress strengthens the world through connectivity.” He added that this combination of consensus and connectivity is crucial in a world facing numerous challenges and conflicts, reinforcing India’s mission of global harmony under the principle of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" – One Earth, One Family, One Future.

India’s mobile and telecom journey, Shri Modi noted, is now a subject of global interest, as the country has shifted from viewing telecom as a mere facility to leveraging it as a medium for equity and opportunity. “Telecom is helping bridge the gap between villages and cities, rich and poor,” he said.

Reflecting on the four pillars of the Digital India vision – affordable devices, extensive digital connectivity, accessible data, and the ‘Digital First’ goal – the Prime Minister credited this holistic approach for transforming India’s digital landscape. He also pointed out how India’s massive network of mobile towers, Wi-Fi hotspots at public places like railway stations, and the connection of islands like Andaman-Nicobar and Lakshadweep through undersea cables have revolutionized connectivity.

India's rapid adoption of 5G technology has further propelled the nation’s digital ambitions. Launched just two years ago, the Prime Minister proudly announced that nearly every district in the country is now 5G-enabled, making India the world’s second-largest 5G market. He also emphasized that India is already advancing towards 6G technology, ensuring that the country remains future-ready.

Shri Modi also highlighted India’s success in making data affordable, noting that the cost of internet data in India is as low as 12 cents per GB, compared to other countries where data can be 10 to 20 times more expensive. “Today, every Indian consumes about 30 GB of data per month on average,” he added.