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New Delhi, – The Public Affairs Forum of India conducted its 11th Annual Forum today with the ‘Telecom for Tomorrow - Connecting India by 2030' as the theme. The focus of the forum was to discuss and develop solutions on how telecom innovations can be integrated to promote overall inclusive growth along with the economic development of the country. Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Minister of Communications and Minister of Development of North Eastern Region, Government of India, provided an opening address. He noted the strong relationship between digital participation and economic advancement of India.” He underscored India’s telecom industry evolution in the past decade as follows: The mobile subscriber base has increased from 900 million to 1.17 billion. The number of broadband users has increased from 60 million to 930 million. Voice call rates have decreased from 50 paise a minute to 3 paise per minute, over a 96% reduction. Data costs have decreased by roughly 94% as well, making internet access more affordable than before. The Minister also expressed confidence in India's ability to gain leadership in 6G technology owing to the rapid deployment of 5G supported by production-linked incentive schemes of ₹3,784 crores. India remains one of only six countries with indigenious 4G stack technology. With over 28,000 towers constructed and nearly 90% 4G coverage , the focus turns to connecting underserved areas, especially the North East which the Prime Minister described as “the first pillar” of the nation. The region is undergoing transformation into a growth engine through infrastructure projects like the “Bhupen Hazarika Bridge”, new road access through fourteen mountains and twenty-eight world class bridges, and increasing airports from nine to seventeen. Mr. Scindia praised the role of India Post with its network of 165,000 post offices, calling it a financial inclusion “window to the world.” He emphasized how India has not only become a service enabler but also a significant player in the telecom sector—further highlighting the growth from mobile phone production valued at ₹1,500 crores a decade ago to mobile phone production worth ₹1,29,000 crores today, making India the second-largest producer in the world. “The vision is clear,” said the Minister. “No village in India will remain unconnected. There is no limit in Northeast India — it’s our oyster.” The minister continued to share his insights, giving the example that unbounded connectivity will ensure access to markets, opportunities, and empowerment. The event commenced with a welcome address by Harish Krishnan, Past President & Co-Founder of PAFI and Managing Director, Cisco India & SAARC. The event was moderated by Sukumar Ranganathan, Editor-in-Chief of Hindustan Times, who concluded the session with a thank-you note alongside Ajay Khanna, Co-Founder, PAFI & Chairman Emeritus, PAFI Annual Forum. Founded in 2008, PAFI (Public Affairs Forum of India) serves as India's preeminent interface for interaction among business, government, and society. Through ethical engagement and collaborative policy-making, PAFI works to integrate the best minds in order to shape India’s public affairs.

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