India’s next phase of technology growth will be driven by new technologies such as 6G, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and quantum technology, Minister of State for Communications Dr Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar said. Speaking at the COAI DIGICOM Summit 2026, he said India has made major progress in Telecom and now has a chance to lead the next generation of technology.
Dr Pemmasani said India should not only follow global technology standards but also help create them. He said the government, telecom companies and other stakeholders must work together to build a strong technology ecosystem. He highlighted India’s fast 5G rollout, which was completed in around 22 months. The country now has more than 5.1 lakh 5G base stations and over 400 million 5G users.
The minister also spoke about the growth of India’s telecom sector. The country has more than 1.22 billion telecom subscribers and some of the lowest mobile tariffs in the world. He said government programmes such as BharatNet are helping bring better internet services to rural areas. Other initiatives, including Sanchar Saathi, Chakshu and ASTR, are being used to protect people from spam, fraud and other telecom-related crimes.
Dr Pemmasani also stressed the need for more research and development. He said Indian telecom companies spend less than 1 per cent of their revenue on R&D, while leading global companies spend much more. He said India must increase its focus on research, innovation and new technologies to build a strong digital future.
