Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unveil two major initiatives on September 27 — BSNL’s homegrown 4G stack and the government’s ambitious 100 per cent 4G saturation project under the Digital Bharat Nidhi scheme. Union Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia announced the launch on Friday, calling it a landmark moment for India’s telecom sector.

According to an ANI report, Scindia said the indigenous 4G stack would be deployed across nearly 98,000 sites nationwide, ensuring coverage across every part of the country. “Our 4G towers and BTSs are already serving 22 million customers across India. It’s fully software-driven, cloud-based, and future-ready. Most importantly, it will upgrade seamlessly to 5G,” the minister noted.

He highlighted that BSNL has been entrusted with implementing key government projects, particularly the 4G Saturation Scheme aimed at extending coverage to rural and underserved villages. The initiative is expected to plug connectivity gaps and bring millions more into the digital fold.

Scindia stressed that the government’s focus goes beyond expanding access and is equally invested in building India’s telecom manufacturing ecosystem. He pointed to the growing collaboration between global players and Indian firms. “The world today is getting into serious manufacturing in India. Cisco has tie-ups with Flex, Ericsson, and VVDN in Jabil, and Dixon is expanding here. Slowly, India is emerging as a hub for telecom equipment manufacturing. We are not just a services bouquet, but also an equipment manufacturing bouquet,” he remarked.

The minister also underlined the expanding role of the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), which has moved beyond providing core technology to producing Radio Access Network (RAN) equipment in partnership with Tejas Networks. “This equipment has a big market, especially in the Global South. It will be the responsibility of these firms to package the solution, just as they have done for BSNL,” he said.

On BSNL’s future growth, Scindia revealed that a capital expenditure plan is in place to modernise infrastructure and expand sites, with funding expected through free cash flows, land monetisation, and central government support. While he refrained from disclosing further details until finalisation, he maintained that the plan was robust and aimed at long-term sustainability.

Responding to queries on tariffs, Scindia clarified that pricing would remain a matter for operators. “India has the cheapest telecom services in the world. The average cost of data here is just 11 cents per GB compared to $2.49 globally. Setting of ARPUs and packages is a company’s domain in a highly competitive market, and I don’t see any need for regulation,” he said.

The minister also pointed out that BSNL had managed to post profits in two recent quarters. However, he urged stakeholders to assess its performance based on operating profits and EBITDA rather than net profits, given the impact of high depreciation following a record capital expenditure of Rs.25,000 crore in FY24-25.

“These initiatives will not only expand digital access across every village in India but will also mark a new chapter in India’s journey towards becoming a global telecom manufacturing leader,” Scindia concluded.