India telecom sector to contribute 20 pc to GDP in next decade: Scindia

New Delhi, Oct 9 India’s telecom sector is poised to increase its contribution to the country’s GDP from the current 12-14 per cent to 20 per cent over the next 10 to 12 years, Union Minister for Communications and Development of North Eastern Region Jyotiraditya Scindia, said on Thursday.

Speaking at the Nation Builders Summit at India Mobile Congress 2025, Scindia highlighted the government’s role as a facilitator rather than a regulator in the sector.

“The sector is largely deregulated and highly competitive,” he said, underlining the importance of collaboration between the government, ministries, and private companies in fostering innovation.

Calling this a defining decade for India, he said, “This is your time. India will not just be vocal for local but local for global designing in India, solving in India and scaling for the world.”

Scindia announced that India has developed an indigenous 4G technology stack, making it the fifth country globally to achieve this capability. The development was completed in a record 20 months, from concept to a full 4G stack.

The minister added that BSNL will expand its 4G network and eventually upgrade it to 5G. Scindia also emphasised India’s rapid digital transformation over the past decade.

Representing a rural constituency, he highlighted the entrepreneurial spirit among the youth, who are keen to acquire new skills and contribute to their communities.

“Looking at the companies listed on the Nifty or Bombay Stock Exchange 20-25 years ago, most were concentrated in six major cities. Today, many are based in Tier-2 and Tier-3 towns, reflecting the growing entrepreneurial capacity across the country,” he said.

The minister noted that India now has 1.2 billion mobile subscribers, representing 20 per cent of the world’s mobile population.

Internet subscriptions have surged from 250 million 11 years ago to 974 million today, while broadband coverage has increased from 60 million to 944 million.

He credited the government’s digital initiatives under Prime Minister Narendra Modi for creating what he described as “the world’s largest digital highway,” connecting 1.4 billion people globally.

“India, which could not even imagine manufacturing chips a decade ago, is today building semiconductor fabs from Gujarat to Assam,” he said, adding that this revolution mirrors the impact of roadways and railways during the Industrial Revolution, connecting people, production, and opportunity at scale.

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