"Today 1.3 billion of Indians will receive 5G as a gift. Our government is working to achieve the goal of [providing] the Internet for everyone," Modi said at the 6th Indian mobile congress.
The prime minister noted that in the past the government had also promoted 4G services in India, which had led to lower prices for communication technologies and started a new digital "revolution."
India is expected to earn at least $450 billion by 2035 by developing 5G technologies, according to the Indian authorities, as the initial launch of 5G services will soon take place in 13 cities, including Mumbai and New Delhi.
In late August, the founder of India's largest telecom company Reliance Jio, Mukesh Ambani, said that it was going to invest 2 trillion rupees ($25 billion) in 5G and roll out high-speed internet services in major Indian cities in the coming two months. By December 2023, the company is also set to bring 5G services to the entire country.
5G is the next generation of telecom networks, offering faster connection speed than 4G and having a broader spectrum of services, while being more efficient.