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New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched 5G services in Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, on Saturday, ushering in a new era in the telecom technology space in India. "India may not have benefitted from the first three industrial revolutions, but I am confident that India will take full benefit of the 4th industrial revolution and, in fact, will lead it," he said, launching 5G services.
"5G technology should be used to bring about a revolution in the country," he remarked.
He also inaugurated the sixth edition of the India Mobile Congress and witnessed the IMC Exhibition that was put up on the occasion.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said that the summit today might be global but its repercussions and directions are local. He said today is a special day for the fast-developing India of the 21st century. "Today, 130 crore Indians are getting a wonderful gift in the form of 5G from the country and from the telecom industry of the country. 5G is a knock on the doors of a new era in the country. 5G is the beginning of an infinite sky of opportunities. I congratulate every Indian for this," he added. He noted with satisfaction that in this launch of 5G and the march of technology, rural areas and workers are equal partners.
The Prime Minister said, "New India will not remain a mere consumer of technology, but India will play an active role in the development and implementation of that technology. India will play a big role in designing the future wireless technology, and manufacturing related to it." The Prime Minister pointed out that India was dependent on other countries for 2G, 3G and 4G technologies. But with 5G, India has created a new history. "With 5G, India is setting a global standard in telecom technology for the first time," he remarked.
Talking about Digital India, the Prime Minister said that some people think that this is just a government scheme. "But Digital India is not just a name, it is a big vision for the development of the country. The goal of this vision is to bring that technology to the common people, which works for the people, works by connecting with the people," said Modi.
Focussing on the need for a holistic approach to Digital India, the Prime Minister elaborated that "we focused on four Pillars, in four directions at once. First, the price of the device, second, digital connectivity, third, the cost of data, fourth, and most importantly, the idea of 'digital first.'"
Regarding the first pillar, the Prime Minister said that the low cost of devices can only be achieved through Aatmnirbharta. The Prime Minister recalled that there were only two mobile manufacturing units in India till eight years ago. "These numbers have now gone up to 200," Modi said. The Prime Minister underlined that from exporting zero mobile phones in 2014, today we have become a mobile phone exporting country worth thousands of crores. "Naturally, all these efforts have had an impact on the cost of the device. Now we have started getting more features at a lower cost," he added.
On the second pillar of digital connectivity, the Prime Minister informed that internet users have increased to 80 crores from 6 crores in 2014. From less than 100 panchayats in 2014, now 1.7 lakh panchayats are connected by optical fiber. "Just as the government started a door-to-door campaign to provide electricity, worked on the mission of providing clean water to everyone through the Har Ghar Jal Abhiyan, and delivered gas cylinders to the poorest of the poorest people through the Ujjwala scheme, our government is working in a similar manner on the goal of Internet for all," he said.
Regarding the third pillar, the cost of data, the Prime Minister said that the industry was given a slew of incentives and technologies like 4G received policy support. This brought down the price of data and a data revolution was ushered in the country. These three pillars started showing their multiplier effect everywhere, he said.
On the topic of the fourth pillar i.e. Idea of 'Digital First', the Prime Minister recalled the time when a handful of the elite class questioned if the poor would even understand the meaning of digital and doubted their potential, the Prime Minister said that he always had faith in the understanding, wisdom and inquisitive mind of the common man of the country. He said that he always found the poor of the country ready to adopt new technologies.
The Prime Minister said that the cost of data in India is among the lowest in the world. It has come down from Rs 300 per GB to about Rs 10 per GB.
The Prime Minister informed that the use of 5G technology will not be limited to speedy internet access, but it has the capability to change lives. He said that we will see the promises of the technology realised in our lifetimes.
Mukesh Ambani, Chairman, Reliance, thanked the Prime Minister for inspiring the vision of a developed nation by 2047. "Every action and policy of the government is skillfully crafted to propel India, towards that goal. Steps taken to fast-track India's march into the 5G era provide compelling proof of our Prime Minister's determination," he said. He narrated the possibilities of 5G in key areas like education, education and climate etc. "Your leadership has raised India's prestige, profile and power globally like never before. In today's fast-changing world, there will be no stopping a resurgent India from soaring to the top," Ambani concluded.
Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman, Bharti Enterprise, remarked that the launch of 5G is the beginning of a new era and since it is happening during Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, it makes it even more special. "With the efforts of the Prime Minister, this will usher new energy in the country. We are fortunate to have a leader in the Prime Minister who understands technology very minutely and is keen on deploying that to the development of the country in an unmatched manner," he added. Mittal further said that it will open up a sea of opportunities for people, especially in the rural areas. He recalled the Prime Minister's initiatives in the field of infrastructure and technology from his Gujarat days. He said that during the pandemic, traffic shifted to villages and homes and the country's heartbeat did not stop even for a second. Credit for that goes to the digital vision, he said. He also praised the audacity and achievement of the vision of Make in India. "Along with Digital India, the Prime Minister also took forward the Start-up India campaign and soon enough, India started producing unicorns," Mittal added. "With the advent of 5G, I'm sure that the country will add many more unicorns in the world," he said.
Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman, Aditya Birla Group, called the advent of 5G a transformational event that proves India's prowess on the global stage and reiterates the role of telecom technology as the bedrock of India's growth. He thanked Prime Minister Modi for his vision and leadership for a generational leap in technology that has resulted in India making a mark on the global stage. He also thanked the Prime Minister for his inspirational role in supporting the telecom industry during the ongoing pandemic and for the path-breaking telecom reforms in the industry. Birla said that the launch of 5G marks the beginning of an exciting journey for India. "We will see limitless potential for 5G development and use cases in the years to come," he added.
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