The Government of India announced on 28 September 2025 that Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has deployed nearly 98,000 indigenous 4G towers built on a homegrown, cloud-native 4G stack that is also 5G-ready. The core network has been developed by C-DOT, the Radio Access Network (RAN) by Tejas Networks, with TCS as the system integrator. This achievement positions India among the few countries with full in-house telecom stack capability.
The rollout is expected to strengthen digital sovereignty, reduce dependence on foreign vendors, and create pathways for domestic employment, R&D, and technology exports. Beyond strategic capability, the new network will expand connectivity in remote, rural, and tribal areas, supporting telemedicine, digital classrooms, and e-governance services. The government highlighted this as part of the “Swadeshi spirit” in telecom modernization.
What is an Indigenous 4G Stack? → A fully domestic ecosystem of hardware and software components (core, RAN, integration) that enables a telecom operator to deliver 4G services without relying on foreign vendors, with scope for upgrades to 5G.
For India’s Digital India mission, this marks a significant step in strategic autonomy, cybersecurity, and Atmanirbhar Bharat. It also strengthens India’s negotiating power in global telecom markets and can serve as a model for public sector–private sector innovation partnerships. For aspirants, it highlights the role of indigenous technology ecosystems in both national security and inclusive development.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders:
How can India leverage its indigenous 4G stack to accelerate 5G and 6G adoption while also becoming a competitive exporter of telecom technologies?
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