BSNL’s biggest upgrade yet? Scindia teases what’s coming next and when

The indigenously developed 4G network of state-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd’s (BSNL) will be upgraded to 5G within the next six to eight months, telecom minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Sunday.

Speaking at the Kautilya Economic Enclave 2025, Scindia said India had joined the exclusive group of nations that have developed their own 4G technology, a space previously dominated by Huawei, ZTE, Samsung, Nokia, and Ericsson.

"Today, India has entered the club with its own 4G standard. This is India's innovation capability and innovation enterprise. But we are not going to rest. Within the next six to eight months, we will be switching these 4G towers to 5G networks and providing end-to-end 5G network capability across the length and breadth of India," Scindia said.

He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled 92,564 towers that connect Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Bharuch to Arunachal Pradesh in India with our own domestic 4G standard.

In August, the Department of Telecommunications confirmed that the government is ready with another ₹47,000 crore capital expenditure plan for BSNL as it pushes ahead with network expansion.

"We have another close to ₹47,000 crore capex plan in place for BSNL. Meanwhile, BSNL has done its highest-ever capex of ₹25,000 crore during last year," the DoT quoted Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia as saying.

BSNL has already spent ₹25,000 crore in the last year for installing 1 lakh towers for 4G mobile services.

Scindia has asked BSNL to add customers and grow its mobile service business by 50% over the next year.

The minister has also asked each unit to increase enterprise business by 25-30% and fixed line business by a minimum of 15-20%.

Scindia also spoke about global economic and geopolitical turbulence, saying that conflicts, protectionism, and climate shocks were creating new economic vulnerabilities.

“Turbulence is not a disruptor; it is also a catalyst. In this context, India has acted as a catalyst, growing at close to 7.8 per cent GDP growth in the first quarter of FY25-26," the minister said.

He said India has emerged as a “fulcrum for the Global South,” adding: “In this age of uncertainty, India is not just another destination — India is the direction. India is not only the voice. India is the mission.”

On the sidelines of the event, Scindia told reporters that innovation is thriving in India where all the global majors are present in India in very large numbers.

"We also have innovation from domestic startups and entrepreneurs. We have got the second largest mobile phone manufacturing happening in India. India today is really pioneering this communication AI Semicon value chain in the world. You are going to see a huge resounding echo of that in the India Mobile Congress (IMC)," Scindia said.