Summary:
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited has reportedly stabilised its indigenous 4G network, marking a significant milestone in India’s telecom technology development, according to Union Minister Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani. India has now become the fourth country globally to develop telecom radio network equipment using domestic technology. The rollout, led by Tata Consultancy Services along with Tejas Networks and Centre for Development of Telematics, has already deployed one lakh 4G sites for BSNL. The government has also improved BSNL’s infrastructure by upgrading batteries, power systems, and cables, raising network uptime above 95 per cent. Officials believe the indigenous telecom initiative supports the Atmanirbhar Bharat programme and could strengthen India’s position in global telecom markets, while BharatNet Phase-3 continues to expand high-speed connectivity to rural areas across the country.
Union Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani reportedly stated that state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has successfully stabilised its indigenous 4G network, marking a major achievement in India’s domestic telecom technology journey. He noted that India has now become the fourth nation globally to independently develop telecom radio network equipment using homegrown technology.
According to the report, Pemmasani said the country not only managed to deploy 100,000 telecom towers using indigenous technology but is also steadily scaling the network further, highlighting India’s growing technological capabilities and commitment to self-reliance.
After the proof-of-concept stage, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), in partnership with Tejas Networks and the state-run Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT), deployed one lakh 4G sites for BSNL.
The global telecom equipment market continues to be dominated by companies such as Ericsson, Nokia, Huawei, and ZTE. The report noted that India’s progress in indigenous telecom development aligns with the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative and could strengthen the country’s position in international telecom markets.
Tejas Networks, which has collaborated with NEC and Rakuten, is also reportedly engaged in discussions with international firms to expand its domestically developed telecom solutions globally.
Pemmasani reportedly acknowledged that the indigenous network initially faced scalability-related issues. However, coordinated efforts between BSNL and consortium partners helped resolve those challenges, enabling further expansion of the network infrastructure.
The report added that TCS is likely to receive an additional order for nearly 23,000 sites after incorporating revised technical recommendations suggested by a select committee. In August 2023, Tejas Networks secured a Rs 7,492-crore purchase order from TCS to provide advanced 4G and 5G radio access network equipment for one lakh BSNL sites following successful trials in Chandigarh and Ambala.
Later, in May 2025, Tejas Networks received a Rs 1,525-crore advance purchase order through TCS for supplying 4G RAN equipment across 18,685 additional sites under BSNL’s expansion programme, although the final purchase order is still pending.
The central government has also administratively assigned spectrum to BSNL across multiple frequency bands, including 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2500 MHz, and 3300 MHz, at auction-based pricing to support its 4G and 5G rollout plans.
Pemmasani further reportedly said that the Department of Telecommunications worked closely with BSNL to replace nearly 50,000 batteries and power systems while upgrading ageing cable infrastructure, helping improve network uptime to more than 95 per cent.
He added that while indigenous technology and equipment readiness have improved significantly, BSNL still requires additional telecom towers to compete more effectively with private telecom operators.
The minister also reportedly stated that the government is closely monitoring the amended BharatNet Phase-3 programme, which aims to connect more than six lakh villages with high-speed internet connectivity and extend digital services to rural regions.
According to the report, tenders for BharatNet have already been issued across most states, and the programme is being monitored using a structured, data-driven approach to ensure accountability among implementation agencies. BSNL has reportedly awarded 16 BharatNet Phase-3 packages funded through the Digital Bharat Nidhi, with execution currently in its early stages. The Union Cabinet had approved the revised BharatNet programme in August 2023 with an allocation of Rs 1.39 lakh crore.
