PM launches BSNL’s fully India-made 4G infra stack
India now joins Denmark, Sweden, South Korea and China as the only countries with homegrown telecom technology stacks
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched state telecoms giant BSNL’s homegrown 4G technology stack, catapulting India into an exclusive group of five nations capable of manufacturing and deploying their own telecom equipment.
Speaking at an event in Odisha to mark the state-run telecom operator’s 25th anniversary, Modi commissioned over 97,500 mobile towers, including 92,600 4G technology sites of the telecom service provider. The infrastructure, built with indigenous technology at a cost of ₹37,000 crore, represents India’s boldest step towards telecom self-reliance.
“For decades, India depended on foreign players for 2G, 3G, and 4G. Congress mocked us while the world moved ahead. But today, BSNL has scripted history by developing 4G technology indigenously,” Modi said. “Odisha has the honour of being at the heart of this rollout.”
In a separate post on X, the Prime Minister emphasised the scale: “With over 92,000 sites connecting 22 million Indians, it reflects India’s journey from dependence to confidence, driving employment, exports, fiscal revival and advancing the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.”
India now joins Denmark, Sweden, South Korea and China as the only countries with homegrown telecom technology stacks. C-DOT (Centre For Development Of Telematics) has become the sixth company globally to have created such a technology.
The achievement stems from a strategic 2020 decision to develop domestic capabilities rather than purchase foreign equipment, with the technology stack developed through partnerships between Indian companies over 22 months.
The stack comprises indigenous 4G technology deployed by BSNL. It combines a Radio Access Network (RAN) built by Tejas Networks, a core network developed by C-DOT, and integration by Tata Consultancy Services.
Communications minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said the launch marked a crucial moment in India’s transformation. “Earlier, India was a service nation, but now we are a producer nation. Earlier, we were seen as a consumer nation, but today, we are an innovation, entrepreneurship and exports centre,” he said.
The cloud-based network is designed to seamlessly upgrade to 5G and targets comprehensive rural connectivity. More than 26,700 previously unconnected villages, including 2,472 in Odisha, will gain access across remote, border and Left-wing extremism-affected areas. The infrastructure will serve over 20 lakh new subscribers.
The towers are solar-powered, making them India’s largest cluster of green telecom sites and advancing sustainable infrastructure goals, officials told HT on Friday.
Modi also unveiled India’s 100 per cent 4G saturation network, comprising 18,903 towers, through Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN), connecting 29,000-30,000 villages in a mission-mode project to ensure no area remains digitally isolated.
Of these, 4,723 towers have been funded by private operators Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel and the remaining by BSNL. These 18,903 4G towers are solar-powered, making this India’s largest cluster of green telecom sites and a significant step toward sustainable digital infrastructure. Under DBN, seven projects have been awarded to private TSPs like Relaince Jio, Airtel and four projects to BSNL.
“From today, Assam’s last village will be connected with the rest of the world. Our ‘first village’ in Arunachal Pradesh will be connected to the world market. Farmers will be directly linked with markets, and patients with doctors. Telecom connectivity is a ‘jeevan setu’ (life bridge),” Scindia said.
The minister asserted that “India will lead the world in 5G network connectivity,” with the indigenous 4G stack designed for future upgrades.
As the technology is upgradable to 5G, trials for testing 5G RAN and 5G NSA core functionality at Chandigarh and Ambala are underway.
For BSNL, celebrating its silver jubilee, the launch represents a potential turnaround moment. According to Friday’s government briefing, the operator has shown recent quarterly profits after years of losses, with subscriber numbers rising and the network already handling significant traffic loads.
Scindia drew parallels with India’s recent achievements: “Be it producing vaccines during Covid pandemic or becoming a leader in UPI transactions, India has turned challenges into opportunities. The Swadeshi 4G stack is a celebration in this line of achievement and proves that ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ is a reality.”
