Digital connectivity no longer a luxury in India, says PM Modi; calls this ‘best time’ to invest & innovate in country

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

This is the best time to invest, innovate and make in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared on Wednesday. Speaking at the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2025, the Prime Minister said the country has immense potential across sectors from manufacturing to semiconductors and electronics.

India’s swadeshi 4G rollout:

The Prime Minister also cited the launch of India’s homegrown 4G stack, calling it a major indigenous achievement. He said that India has now become one of the five countries in the world that has this capability.

Modi highlighted that the 4G stack is also export-ready, noting that it would become a means of India’s business outreach. “In the past ten years, India’s technology revolution has progressed rapidly. To match this speed and scale, there had long been a need for a strong legal and modern policy foundation. For this, we enacted the Telecommunications Act, which replaces the old Indian Telegraph Act and Indian Wireless Telegraph Act, laws that were made long before most of us here were even born,” the Prime Minister said.

5G connectivity growth across India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his address said that when he spoke of Make-in-India initially, people would make fun of it. “They asked how India would make technologically advanced things. The nation has responded to it. The country that once struggled with 2G now has 5G in almost every district,” Modi said.

Cost of 1GB wireless data less than that of a cup of tea

The Prime Minister said that today, the cost of 1 GB of wireless data in India is less than the price of a cup of tea. “I'm used to using the tea as an example. But, in terms of user data consumption, we are among the leading countries in the world,” he said.

“This means that digital connectivity in India is no longer a privilege or a luxury; it is an integral part of Indian life. India also leads the way in terms of promoting industry and investment,” he said.

India's democratic setup, the government's welcoming approach, and its ease-of-doing-business policies have established India's reputation as an investor-friendly destination, the Prime Minister said. “Our success in digital public infrastructure is a testament to how committed the government is to a digital-first mindset. Therefore, I confidently say, ‘This is the best time to invest, innovate, and make in India’,” the Prime Minister said.