PM Modi at TRAI event: 2G era was symbolic of corruption; India has moved transparently to 4G and now 5G

"By the end of this decade, we should be able to launch 6G services, and our task force has started working on it," Narendra Modi said at TRAI's silver jubilee celebrations.

Pic courtesy: ANI

New Delhi: Marking the silver jubilee celebrations of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that connectivity will decide the country's progress in the 21st century. "5G will contribute $450 billion to our economy. This will not only accelerate internet speed but also development. By the end of this decade, we should be able to launch 6G services, and our task force has started working on it," said PM Modi at TRAI's silver jubilee celebrations. 

The PM said that teledensity and internet users are fast expanding in India. He also took a dig at the UPA government and said, "The 2G era was symbolic of policy paralysis, corruption; the nation has moved transparently to 4G and now 5G."

Modi further said, "Mobile manufacturing units in India have expanded from 2 to over 200; India is today world's biggest mobile manufacturing hub." The PM said India has encouraged healthy competition that has led to the "country having cheapest telecom data charges."

PM Modi launched a 5G Test Bed, developed as a multi-institute collaborative project by a total of eight institutes led by IIT Madras. Prime Minister Modi graced the occasion as the chief guest through video conferencing. He also released a postal stamp on TRAI's silver jubilee celebrations. The other institutes that participated in the project include IIT Delhi, IIT Hyderabad, IIT Bombay, IIT Kanpur, IISc Bangalore, Society for Applied Microwave Electronics Engineering and Research (SAMEER), and Centre of Excellence in Wireless Technology (CEWiT).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will release a postal stamp to commemorate the silver jubilee celebrations of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) via video conferencing, shortly. Union IT & Communications Minister Ashwini Vasihnaw also present among others pic.twitter.com/rLSEpGKKH5 — ANI (@ANI) May 17, 2022

According to the Prime Minister's Office, the project has been developed at a cost of more than Rs 220 crore. The Test Bed will enable a supportive ecosystem for Indian industry and startups which will help them validate their products, prototypes, solutions, and algorithms in 5G and next-generation technologies. TRAI was established in 1997 through the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997. 

(With Agency inputs)