In a significant step toward bolstering India’s telecommunications infrastructure, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited’s (BSNL) homegrown 4G stack — a milestone that places India among the select nations producing their own telecom technology.
The double-engine government is committed to accelerating the pace of development in Odisha. Addressing a programme during the launch of various projects in Jharsuguda. https://t.co/XpQjHIuMXR
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 27, 2025
The announcement came as BSNL celebrated its silver jubilee. On the occasion, the Prime Minister also inaugurated more than 97,500 mobile towers nationwide, including 92,600 sites running on 4G technology. Built at an estimated cost of ₹37,000 crore, the new installations rely entirely on indigenous equipment.
According to officials, the rollout of the “Swadeshi” 4G stack aligns India with countries such as Denmark, Sweden, South Korea and China, which have developed their own telecom manufacturing capabilities. The India-made platform is cloud-based, future-ready and can be upgraded seamlessly to 5G.
According to reports, government sources said the network will help bridge the digital divide in remote regions, supporting the Prime Minister’s Digital India vision. Over 26,700 previously unconnected villages — including 2,472 in Odisha — will now gain access to mobile connectivity, covering more than 20 lakh new subscribers.
The new installations are also environmentally sustainable. BSNL described the towers as the country’s largest cluster of solar-powered telecom sites, marking a shift toward greener infrastructure.
Additionally, Modi unveiled India’s “100 per cent 4G saturation” initiative under the Digital Bharat Nidhi project, which aims to bring connectivity to 29,000–30,000 villages in a mission-mode drive.
Officials said the launch also sets the stage for BSNL’s eventual transition to 5G, strengthening rural connectivity and digital inclusion nationwide.
