India moving towards becoming leader in 6G technology: PM Modi

New Delhi, Oct 27 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that India is moving towards becoming a leader in 6G technology, adding that the future is here and now.

PM Modi said this while inaugurating the Indian Mobile Congress (IMC) here. "We are not only expanding 5G in the country but also moving in the direction of becoming leaders in the area of 6G technology. Everyone knows what happened during the 2G (referring to the spectrum allocation scam during the UPA regime). During our government, 4G was expanded but there was no stain on us. I am confident that India will lead the world in 6G technology."

He added that whether it is telecom, technology, or connectivity or whether it is 6G, AI, cybersecurity, semiconductors, drones or space sector, the future is going to be very different.

"Within a year of the launch of 5G, nearly four lakh 5G base stations have been working today. They are covering 97 per cent of the cities and more than 80 per cent of the population," Modi said.

Airtel chief Sunil Bharti Mittal, chairman of Aditya Birla group Kumar Mangalam Birla and Reliance Jio chairman Akash Ambani as well as telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw were also present on the occasion.

Speaking further, PM Modi said that the world is using 'Made in India' phones while referring to the transformation which has taken in the recent past in the telecom sector.

"Recently, Google has announced the manufacturing of its Pixel phone in India. Samsung's Fold 5 mobile phone and Apple's iPhone 15 are being manufactured in India. We are proud that the world is using Made in India mobile phones now," PM Modi said.

India has become an exporter from a net importer, he added.

"India has reached 43rd position in mobile broadband speed from the previous rank of 118," PM Modi said, adding that 2014 (when NDA came to power) is not a date, it is 'badlav' (change).

Referring to various measures of the government, the Prime Minister said that access to capital, access to resources and access to technology is the government's priority.

During the programme, PM Modi awarded 100 ‘5G Use Case Labs’ to educational institutions across the country.