India Launches Indigenous 4G Network Boosting Telecom Sovereignty

India’s telecom sector marked a historic milestone in 2025 by launching its first domestically-built 4G network. This achievement reflects years of strategic effort to reduce dependence on foreign vendors and strengthen digital sovereignty. The initiative aligns with India’s ambition to become a global leader in telecom technology while supporting national security and economic growth.

Background and Significance

India is the world’s second-largest wireless market with over one billion subscribers. Despite this, much of its telecom infrastructure depended on imported equipment worth billions of dollars annually. In 2020, the government cancelled global 4G equipment tenders and mandated indigenous design, development, and deployment (3D) for future networks to assert sovereignty over digital infrastructure.

Key Stakeholders and Collaboration

A unique public-private partnership drove the indigenous 4G project. The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) designed the core network. Tejas Networks developed the radio access network (RAN). Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) provided system-wide automation. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) managed deployment across India’s vast and diverse geography. This coalition enabled a full-stack telecom solution built entirely in India.

Technical Innovations

The new 4G network includes the Evolved Packet Core (EPC), IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), eNodeB radio units, and an integrated network management system. It is cloud-native from inception, using microservices and containerised components. This design supports zero-touch provisioning, elastic scaling, and software-defined upgrades. The architecture is future-proof and ready for seamless transition to 5G without major hardware changes.

Deployment and Coverage

The first live call on the indigenous network was made at a BSNL test facility in Jaipur. Since then, over 26,000 sites and 98,000 towers have been commissioned. The network covers urban centres and remote rural areas, ensuring broad accessibility. The system supports open interfaces compatible with Open RAN, satellite backhaul, and hybrid cloud environments.

Global Standing and Export Potential

India now joins an elite group of countries with end-to-end telecom stack capabilities alongside Sweden, Finland, South Korea, and China. The indigenous 4G network opens export opportunities, especially in Africa, South-East Asia, and Latin America. This success lays a strong foundation for India’s 5G and 6G roadmaps, with ongoing research into advanced technologies like terahertz frequencies and AI-optimised radio environments.

Regulatory and Security Advantages

Owning the telecom core allows India to enforce indigenous encryption, data localisation, and customised lawful interception. This boosts national security while protecting user privacy. The local design reduces reliance on imports, enabling software upgrades and capacity expansion from Indian suppliers. It also helps address cyber threats and vendor lock-in challenges.

Challenges and Future Directions

India’s telecom firms must invest continuously in research, talent, and advanced technologies to maintain global competitiveness. They need to enhance radio resource management, develop quantum-resistant encryption, and harmonise spectrum use across sectors. Expanding into global markets requires compliance with international standards and technology diplomacy. These challenges represent growth opportunities rather than obstacles to survival.

Questions for UPSC:

1. Critically analyse the role of indigenous technology development in strengthening India’s digital sovereignty with suitable examples.
2. Explain the significance of public-private partnerships in the advancement of India’s telecom infrastructure and their impact on economic growth.
3. What are the challenges and opportunities in adopting cloud-native architectures in India’s telecom networks? How do they influence future 5G and 6G deployments?
4. Underline the importance of data localisation and cybersecurity in India’s telecom sector. Discuss the regulatory measures that support these objectives.

Answer Hints:

1. Critically analyse the role of indigenous technology development in strengthening India’s digital sovereignty with suitable examples.

1. Indigenous 4G network launch marked reduced dependence on foreign vendors, asserting digital sovereignty.
2. Cancellation of global 4G tenders in 2020 mandated self-reliance in telecom equipment design and deployment.
3. Collaboration of C-DOT, Tejas Networks, TCS, and BSNL produced a full-stack Indian telecom solution.
4. Cloud-native architecture with microservices enables future-proof, scalable, and secure networks.
5. Ownership of core network allows enforcement of indigenous encryption, data localisation, and lawful interception.
6. Export potential in Africa, South-East Asia, and Latin America demonstrates global competitiveness of indigenous tech.

2. Explain the significance of public-private partnerships in the advancement of India’s telecom infrastructure and their impact on economic growth.

1. Coalition of public (C-DOT, BSNL) and private (Tejas Networks, TCS) entities enabled rapid indigenous 4G rollout.
2. Pooling of expertise – C-DOT designed core, Tejas developed RAN, TCS automated systems, BSNL deployed network nationwide.
3. Public-private synergy accelerated innovation and large-scale deployment across urban and rural India.
4. Reduced import dependence stimulates domestic manufacturing and technology development sectors.
5. Boosts employment, R&D investment, and export opportunities, positively impacting economic growth.
6. Creates a replicable model for future telecom projects, including 5G/6G development and deployment.

3. What are the challenges and opportunities in adopting cloud-native architectures in India’s telecom networks? How do they influence future 5G and 6G deployments?

1. Cloud-native design enables zero-touch provisioning, elastic scaling, and software-defined upgrades, increasing flexibility.
2. Supports integration with Open RAN, satellite backhaul, and hybrid cloud environments for diverse use-cases.
3. Challenges include need for continuous R&D, skilled talent, and advanced security (quantum-resistant encryption).
4. Facilitates smooth transition from 4G to 5G/6G without major hardware overhauls, reducing costs and deployment time.
5. Enables advanced features like network slicing, URLLC, and mMTC critical for industrial and consumer applications.
6. Requires compliance with global standards and technology diplomacy to expand into international markets.

4. Underline the importance of data localisation and cybersecurity in India’s telecom sector. Discuss the regulatory measures that support these objectives.

1. Data localisation ensures subscriber data resides within India, enhancing control and privacy protection.
2. Indigenous encryption protocols reduce vulnerability to foreign cyber threats and espionage.
3. Custom lawful interception mechanisms enable secure and lawful access for national security agencies.
4. Owning the telecom core mitigates vendor lock-in risks and dependency on foreign equipment providers.
5. Regulatory frameworks mandate indigenous design and deployment, supporting sovereignty and security goals.
6. These measures collectively strengthen national security while balancing citizen privacy rights.