The Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) has activated 19,823 of 27,106 targeted towers, connecting 26,327 villages and nearly 20 lakh households across aspirational districts, North-East regions, border areas, and Left Wing Extremism (LWE) zones, Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Saturday, adding that India has joined the world’s elite group of five nations that have successfully built their own 4G stack.
In August, these towers facilitated 42,773 TB of data usage, averaging 21 GB per customer. “From remote Odisha to hilly Assam, DBN ensures education, healthcare, and governance reach every doorstep,” Scindia said as Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India’s fully indigenous 4G stack and one lakh BSNL indigenous 4G towers from Jharsuguda, Odisha.
Scindia joined the programme virtually from Assam, alongside Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and highlighted the historic significance of this achievement. Lauding the landmark achievement, the minister stated that, guided by Prime Minister Modi’s vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, BSNL had committed to developing its own indigenous 4G stack. “This is a moment of pride for the entire nation as India advances towards becoming a global leader in the telecommunications sector,” he said.
Swadeshi 4G towers were inaugurated across several states with participation from key Union Ministers and Chief Ministers. In Odisha, CM Mohan Charan Majhi joined; in Andhra Pradesh, Union Ministers Ram Mohan Naidu and Chandrashekhar Pemmasani along with CM N. Chandrababu Naidu participated; in Uttar Pradesh, Union Minister Pankaj Chaudhary and CM Yogi Adityanath were present; in Maharashtra, Union Minister Raosaheb Nikhil Khadse, CM Devendra Fadnavis, and Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar attended; in Rajasthan, Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal and CM Bhajanlal Sharma joined; in Assam, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma participated; in Gujarat, Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and CM Bhupendra Patel were present; and in Bihar, Union Minister Giriraj Singh and CM Nitish Kumar took part.
“When 2G, 3G, and 4G emerged globally, India relied on foreign technology. Today, BSNL’s expertise has reversed this, establishing India as a global telecom manufacturing hub,” said Scindia.
The cloud-based, 5G-upgradable swadeshi stack serves over 2 crore citizens and connects nearly 30,000 previously unserved villages. Scindia highlighted BSNL’s role in positioning India for 5G and 6G leadership, with the indigenous stack ready for global export, reflecting Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.
