IMC 2025: Scindia highlights India's satellite communication endeavours India is deploying capital from its Digital India fund to provide connectivity in 38,000 remote villages.

Union Minister of Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia on Wednesday promised the fastest rollout of satcom in India on the lines of 5G expansion in the country.

Scindia made the remark while addressing the Satcom Summit, themed "Space Networks for Universal Connectivity, on the inaugural day of the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2025, held at New Delhi.

"I say this with all conviction that India will not only deliver the fastest satellite rollout in the world but it will also redefine what satcom means for humanity," the minister said.

"Satellite communication is no longer a luxury but a right… it is justice… it is justice to farmers in Ladakh who deserve real-time updates…it is justice to fishermen Lakshadweep who must access weather warnings to save lives … it is justice to the child in a tribal hamlet in Chhattisgarh who must learn from the best teachers … It is justice for doctors in Assam who must reach patients when roads are washed away," Scindia added.

The minister in his address also highlighted India's efforts to expand 5G coverage. Scindia said that 5G connectivity has reached 99.9% of India's population whereas 480,000 towers have been established nationwide,

He also disclosed that the Indian government has aimed to connect more than 38,000 villages through the Digital India Fund. And so far, nearly 29,000 such villages, roughly 75%, have been provided connectivity with an investment of INR 40,000 crore.

Dr Jitendra Singh, MoS of Science and Technology; Dr V Narayanan, Chairman, ISRO and Secretary, DoS and Dr Pawan Goenka, Chairman, IN-SPACe also joined the summit.

"India is creating an ecosystem for satellite communication. We are increasingly collaborating with foreign space agencies for experiments to innovate. Domestically, public private partnerships are transforming the space sector as they are extremely effective and efficient. Spacetech driven technology has huge bearing on defence and atomic energy", said Dr. Jitendra Singh, MoS of Science and Technology.

Dr. V. Narayanan, Chairman, ISRO and the Secretary, Department of Space (DoS) said, "India has come a long way since its first space mission. We are now placing more than 100 satellites in a single launch. We are ensuring connectivity to the last mile citizen and enabling industrial efficiency. To make India a developed nation by 2047, we need to work on developing an extensive network for satellites."

Lt Gen AK Bhatt (Retd), Director General, Indian Space Association (ISpA) said, "India's satellite spectrum landscape presents significant opportunities, but requires strategic intervention. The current demand projections are realistic, yet spectrum allocation delays are hindering industry progress. A balanced regulatory approach is crucial, one that supports both public and private players, drives innovation, and protects national interests. By creating a flexible framework that reduces entry barriers and accelerates allocation processes, we can unlock the full potential of India's space technology ecosystem."

Parnil Urdhwareshe, Director, Starlink Satellite Communications said, " India is truly a unique market, home to world-class technologists, innovative use cases and a government that has played a pivotal role in making technology ubiquitous. With continuous policy support for NGSO systems and proactive efforts by the DoT and IN-SPACe, the foundation for a more inclusive and connected future is being strengthened. As we expand our presence, particularly in rural regions, our goal is to complement existing services and meet India's growing demand for world-class internet experiences."

Earlier, Scindia had addressed the opening ceremony of the 2025 edition of IMC.

Scindia stated that India's telecom revolution is built on four Ds: democracy, demography, digital-first, and delivery.

He also lauded the government's efforts to democratise telecom access in the country, highlighting that 1GB of data now costs nearly INR 9, down from INR 287 for the same in 2014. He also said that 99% of districts in India are now connected with 5G, the fifth generation of cellular network technology.

"We have 365 million 5G subscribers, therefore, this warrants that the scale is on India's side," he said.

Scindia emphasized India's "digital-first" approach by citing the success of the "JAM" trinity. This trinity essentially leverages Jan Dhan bank accounts, Aadhar identification, and mobile connectivity to directly deliver government schemes and benefits to people, effectively eliminating middlemen and preventing the leakage.