The seventh edition of the India Mobile Congress (IMC), themed “Global Digital Innovation”, witnessed informative discussions on the telecom and technology sectors, and demonstrations of the latest solutions and innovations by leading companies and start-ups. This year’s event, organised jointly by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), saw participation from over across 67 countries.
The event was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Bharat Mandapam in the presence of over 7,000 people. The prime minister highlighted that the 5G roll-out in India in 2022 surprised the rest of the world, emphasising that India did not stop after the success of 5G, but focused on extending its reach to every individual. “India moved from the 5G roll-out stage to the 5G reach-out stage,” he said. Within one year of the 5G roll-out, the prime minister announced the development of 400,000 5G base stations, covering more than 97 per cent of the cities and 80 per cent of the population. He noted a threefold increase in median mobile broadband speeds within one year. Further, India moved from the 118th position to the 43rd position in terms of broadband speed. “India is not only expanding the 5G network in the country but also laying emphasis on becoming a leader in 6G,” the prime minister added.
During the event, he announced the setting up of 100 5G labs across India, with the aim of encouraging students, professors, startups and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to work on 5G technology. With labs being set up in academic institutions across multiple states/UTs, including Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Manipur, Telangana and Karnataka, several use cases are expected to emerge across sectors such as health, agriculture and manufacturing.
The “100 5G labs initiative” is an endeavour to realise the opportunities associated with 5G technology by encouraging the development of 5G applications that cater to both India’s unique needs as well as global demands. The initiative will foster innovation across various socioeconomic sectors such as education, agriculture, health, power and transportation, and accelerate the adoption of 5G technology. It is also a pivotal step towards building a 6G-ready academic and start-up ecosystem in the country, and developing indigenous telecom technology critical for national security.
Following the inaugural session, the prime minister visited the pavilions of telecom service providers, equipment manufacturers and other key stakeholders, closely observing innovative products, solutions and use cases on display.
Bharti Airtel demonstrated the capabilities of Airtel 5G Plus in optimising traffic systems, enabling real-time road monitoring, and enhancing road safety through early accident detection and traffic congestion prevention. It also emphasised the role of Airtel IoT and the Airtel 5G network in supporting new connected ecosystems, particularly original equipment manufacturers by providing real-time analytics for safer driving. Further, Reliance Jio demonstrated India’s first satellite-based gigabit broadband service, offering high-speed internet even in remote and inaccessible geographies. It also displayed the Jio Glass, a mixed-reality handset, at the event. Meanwhile, Vodafone India Limited (Vi), featured its Vi C-DOT IoT Lab, and highlighted its unique status as “India’s sole IoT devices interoperability certification lab”. It also introduced “Ready for Next”, a digital assessment tool designed to assist MSMEs in evaluating their digital maturity.
Several academics and start-ups showcased a spectrum of use cases, which centred around the use of the internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), drones, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). These use cases spanned various fields, mainly agriculture, healthcare, telemedicine, climate prediction and detection, problem resolution, green and conservative technology to conservative future, and creative and innovative ideas to expand networks in inaccessible areas.
Industry leaders also expressed their opinion on various subjects. The discussions revolved around telecom and digital infrastructure, automation and AI, data privacy, open radio access network (RAN) satellite communications, 6G technology, drone applications, rural connectivity, and industrial IoT. The sessions provided insights, explanations and a roadmap for innovation and entrepreneurship aligned with sustainable development goals.
In a key session, Lt General Dr S.P. Kochhar, director general, COAI, said, “Telecom networks need to be robust and sustainable. From a subscriber’s point of view, devices need to be affordable. We have to build 6G infrastructure as per international standards. The standardisation work has started with a bang, the roadmap has been laid out and the government is taking the lead, with support from the industry. India is doing well in policy and regulations and making advances in the financial aspect of 5G and 6G, but deriving applications is an area where we are lacking at present. If India has to become a leader in 6G, in line with the prime minister’s ambitions, youngsters must create applications and integrate them with the networks.”
At IMC 2023, more than 400 speakers participated in over 80 sessions, covering a range of subjects such as Industry 4.0, 5G applications, enterprise digital transformation, sustainable development, monetising connectivity, role of India in the global semiconductor landscape, 6G standardisation, meeting India’s telecommunication needs, network evolution beyond 5G, standardisation for 6G, 6G RAN and devices, applications and digitalisation, evolution of AI and the future of networks.
The last day of the forum also saw discussions on India’s role in the changing global semiconductor landscape and growing global interest in India as a manufacturing destination for the semiconductor industry. With significant announcements across 5G and 6G technologies, the discussions at IMC 2023 highlighted the convergence of digital inclusion, India’s home-grown 5G technology, and the development of digital public infrastructure. Further, the forum celebrated inclusiveness with an engaging session focused on celebrating the remarkable achievements of women in the field of technology.
Regarding women in tech, Jeanette Whyte, head of public policy, GSMA, said, “Empowering women in the digital
age is not just a matter of bridging the smartphone gender gap, but of unleashing their potential for global progress. With our Mobile Internet Skills Training Toolkit, partnerships with organisations like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and our commitment to diversity in tech, GSMA is not just changing statistics, but is shaping a brighter future. We need to continue to amplify the voices of women in the digital revolution.”
In a notable addition to IMC 2023, the event introduced Aspire, a pioneering start-up programme, and Robo Blitz, a robot wars event. While Aspire laid emphasis on igniting the future of entrepreneurship growth among young innovators and industry delegates in the telecom and other digital domains, the Robo Blitz competition invited young engineers and technology enthusiasts to demonstrate their skills in robotics. As the India Mobile Congress continues to be a significant venue for technological advancement, the inclusion of robot wars and Aspire underscores the event’s broader commitment to fostering skill development and creativity for the emerging generation.
Conclusion
Over the past seven years, IMC has established itself as South Asia’s largest digital forum, bringing together the industry, government, academia and other stakeholders to discuss and display the latest in the technology world. Since its inception, IMC has been actively promoting India’s strength and position as a global hub for manufacturing technology products. It further highlights the role of start-ups and small-scale industries in the new digital universe to deliver best-in-class service, equipment and applications.
The three-day event concluded with the largest participation ever, with over 150,000 participants attending the forum. The forum witnessed over 620 use cases displayed across technology and telecom, government, PSUs and startups.
