We need to work on the value chain: Dr RK Upadhyay, C-DOT

At the Telecom Leadership Forum 2025, Dr. R.K. Upadhyay, Chairman of C-DOT, delivered a powerful address that underscored India’s ambitions and achievements in the telecom sector. As India navigates its path toward technological sovereignty and digital equity, institutions like C-DOT are proving to be pivotal in architecting the future.

"Telecom is a way of life today. It has moved beyond connectivity. Connectivity is the hygiene part... it powers other sectors—power, health, education, defence, and finance. If telecom goes, all your systems will go."

With these words, Dr. Upadhyay set the tone for a compelling vision of telecom as not just an economic multiplier but a lifeline for national progress. He emphasised that telecom underpins essential sectors like power, health, education, finance, and defence—its disruption could collapse the whole system. This argument becomes even more relevant in the current geopolitical context, where cyberattacks on critical infrastructure are rising.

India has made commendable strides. The country now boasts over 1.2 billion mobile users, and 250 million 5G customers, with 5 lakh base stations deployed and 5G footprint in all 776 districts. However, the challenge remains to close the rural-urban divide; rural tele-density still stands at just 58%, with internet penetration even lower.

“The government’s 4G Saturation program identified 30,000 unconnected villages. Already, 10,000 of them have mobile connectivity today.”

This grassroots connectivity initiative, implemented through BSNL and supported by a Rs. 30,000 crore fund, is a critical step toward inclusivity. Complementing it is the ambitious BharatNet program, worth Rs. 1.39 lakh crore, which will bring fibre to every village in India.

From capability to self-reliance

Dr. Upadhyay made a crucial distinction: “ India is a technology-capable nation, but not yet fully technology-advanced. While global giants like Intel, Broadcom, and Marvell host their R&D in India, the IP and value realisation still happen elsewhere.”

“India has the talent and can build at a much lower cost. We believed we could do 4G and 5G ourselves—and we did,” he added.

This belief powered an unprecedented collaboration between C-DOT, Tejas Networks, and TCS. Together, they developed indigenous 4G/5G technology now deployed across the country, with 94,000 physical sites and 1.3 lakh base stations already radiating signals. The rollout in Delhi and Mumbai is expected by mid-2025.

Yet Dr. Upadhyay was candid about the gaps: India still lags in chip design and manufacturing, the bedrock of telecom self-sufficiency. The government’s renewed push on this front, funding 10 chip design startups focused on 5G modems, Wi-Fi, and ONT chips, could be a game-changer.

Time to climb the value chain

India’s strides in electronics manufacturing are equally impressive. With over 350 million mobile phones produced annually, the country has emerged as the world’s second-largest manufacturer, exporting over USD 60 billion worth of mobile devices. Still, Dr. Upadhyay warned that true self-reliance goes beyond assembling products—it requires owning intellectual property and mastering chip design.

While the country has taken significant steps to build chip manufacturing and packaging infrastructure (ATMP and OSAT), chip design remains a missing piece. The government is now pushing for at least ten startup-led initiatives to develop 5G modem chips, Wi-Fi chips, and ONT chips. “We are technologically capable, but not yet advanced,” he noted.

Dr. Upadhyay’s address didn’t merely outline progress, it issued a call to action. His conviction in India's rise through homegrown innovation, policy support, and strategic collaboration stands as a blueprint for national technological empowerment.

As India prepares for the next wave, 6G, AI, and quantum communication, C-DOT’s work proves that visionary leadership, grounded in R&D and national interest, is critical to building a self-reliant digital India.