The union minister of communications and development of northeast region led India’s engagements at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026 in Barcelona, Spain, with high-level participation at the GSMA ministerial programme and the MWC Main Stage, outlining India’s vision for affordable, inclusive and future-ready digital connectivity.
He delivered the closing keynote address at the ministerial stage during the session themed “Breaking the Cost Barrier.” The session focused on addressing affordability challenges that continue to exclude 3.1 billion people globally from meaningful digital participation. Emphasising the urgency of bridging the usage gap, the minister underscored that affordability of devices and services remains central to digital inclusion. “Connectivity must become universally affordable if it is to be truly transformative. The challenge before us is not the absence of technology, but the cost barriers that prevent billions from participating in the digital economy,” the minister stated.
Highlighting India’s experience in driving down data costs through policy reform, competition and scale, he added, “India’s digital journey demonstrates that scale, innovation and stable policy frameworks can dramatically reduce costs. Our collective responsibility is to ensure that next-generation connectivity, from 5G to emerging 6G ecosystems, remains affordable, inclusive and scalable.”
He called for a coordinated, multi-stakeholder approach involving governments, industry, financial institutions and global bodies to enable device affordability, innovative financing models and sustainable digital ecosystems.
Further, later in the day, the minister addressed the MWC main stage in the keynote session titled “Built for What’s Next.” The address focused on the evolution of networks into intelligent, adaptive and human-centric platforms powered by artificial intelligence (AI), cloud-native technologies and next-generation infrastructure.
The minister underscored the evolution of connectivity from being merely a tool for access to becoming a powerful engine of opportunity, driving innovation, economic growth and social empowerment.
“We are moving into an era where networks are intelligent, autonomous and anticipatory. AI-driven systems, cloud-native architectures and secure digital ecosystems are redefining how citizens experience connectivity and how enterprises innovate,” he remarked.
He further noted, “The future of connectivity lies not only in faster speeds, but in frictionless digital experiences, resilient infrastructure and sustainable growth. Technology must empower individuals, strengthen businesses and enable societies to thrive.”
Furthermore, another highlight was the inauguration of the Bharat Pavilion, showcasing India’s expanding telecom manufacturing capabilities and innovation ecosystem. This year, 40 Indian companies and innovators are participating at MWC under the Pavilion.
The Pavilion brought together leading Indian companies demonstrating solutions across 4G and 5G radio networks, optical transport systems, IP/ multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) routing, broadband access, satellite communications, AI-driven network management, internet of thing (IoT) applications, semiconductor-enabled hardware and next-generation data centre and cloud infrastructure.
Moreover, the minister also unveiled the curtain raiser for India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026 at the GSMA Insights Hub. He announced that IMC 2026 will be held from October 7-10, 2026 at New Delhi, further strengthening India’s role as a global platform for collaboration in advanced telecommunications, AI-powered networks and emerging digital technologies.
During his visit to booth of Tejas Networks, the minister launched the TJ1600-D3 Hyper-scalable DCI Platform. The launch underscored India’s growing capabilities in high-capacity data centre interconnect technologies.
In addition, the minister also had a chance to meet and interact with ITU secretary general during his visit in MWC arena. The ITU SG congratulated minister for his participation in GSMA ministerial programs and presenting the India’s vibrant telecom ecosystem and digital transformational journey at the global stage.
The minister held bilateral meetings with Eutelsat and Viasat to understand the measures for advancing the universal, meaningful and resilient connectivity frameworks for India. Both companies appreciated the vision of minister for the provision of secure, high-speed and universal and meaningful connectivity initiatives across India.
He also interacted with representatives of the Bharti Group, reinforcing the strong synergy between government and industry in advancing India’s digital ambitions.
