This is not just India’s decade, it is the century of India: PM Modi on 5G launch

He inaugurates the sixth edition of the Indian Mobile Congress (IMC) and will launch 5G services shortly. (Image: ANI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the 5G telecom services at the sixth edition of Indian Mobile Congress (IMC 2022) at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi on October 1. Ushering in an era of ultra high speed internet on mobile phones, this service will be launched in select cities today and will cover the rest of the country over the next couple of years.

In a use case of this 5G services, the prime minister interacted with the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Vinai Saxena, who was present inside a DMRC tunnel, still under construction. Modi spoke to workers inside the tunnel and enquired whether the technology helped them speed up the process. “The most important thing is the trust of the workers, they should feel safe," he said.

Moving on with the list of multiple uses of the technology, Modi interacted with a hologram of a student at Pragati Maidan. “I am happy that school children from rural parts of India are part of this rollout,” he said. “I have felt how new technologies are changing the meaning of education for these students. They are interacting with eminent scientists from their classroom, it is an exciting experience.”

He mentioned that India will not only be a consumer of technology, but also play an active role in the development and implementation of technology. He aims to focus on four pillars of success - cost of the device, digital connectivity, cost of data, and the Digital First mindset. “When we talk about the cost of the device, it can only be affordable when we are Atmanirbhar," he said.

The prime minister also spoke about the difference in internet penetration between urban and rural areas. Noting that the reach of optical fibre has increased in rural areas, he pointed out that the number of internet users has gone up in sync. “Our government is working on the goal of internet for all,” he said. “Today whether it is small businessmen or local artisans, Digital India has provided everyone with a platform.”

He harped on the low-cost services in India. “This is not just India’s decade, it is the century of India,” Modi said. He feels that this was an occasion for entrepreneurs, small artisans and businessmen to push them ahead and facilitate their growth.