New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Tuesday that 5G technology would contribute $450 billion to the economy in coming times and envisaged 6G services in India by the end of this decade.
Speaking virtually at the silver jubilee celebrations of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, Modi was confident that India would become self-reliant in the sector. “Indigenous 5G test bed is an important step towards that,” the Prime Minister said.
He also said the government had encouraged “healthy competition” that has led to India’s cheapest telecom data charges.
“Mobile manufacturing units in India have expanded from 2 to over 200. India today is the world’s biggest mobile manufacturing hub,” the Prime Minister said, adding, “India’s internet users are also fast expanding.”
Modi also referred to the 2G scam under the previous Congress-led UPA government. It is alleged that spectrum was sold to benefit politicians and specific telecom operators.
“The 2G era was symbolic of policy paralysis and corruption. The nation has transparently moved to 4G and now to 5G,” the Prime Minister said.
Modi released a commemorative postal stamp on Tuesday to mark the occasion. TRAI, set up in 1997, regulates the telecommunications sector in India and comes under the Department of Telecommunications.
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