PM Modi launches BSNL’s ‘swadeshi’ 4G in Odisha, 97,500 towers unveiled

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited’s (BSNL) Swadeshi 4G network from Jharsuguda, Odisha, in what officials called a landmark step for India’s telecom sector. Timed with BSNL’s silver jubilee, the rollout underscores the government’s emphasis on indigenous technology in critical infrastructure and is expected to connect millions in rural India.

Officials described the launch as a milestone for Digital India. “The rollout of the ‘swadeshi’ 4G network is a transformative step in line with the Prime Minister’s vision of Digital India, bridging the digital divide and empowering rural communities, while paving the way for BSNL’s 5G upgrade and integration,” an official statement said, adding that the service will cover over 20 lakh new subscribers.

Alongside the network launch, Modi inaugurated more than 97,500 mobile towers, including 92,600 using the new 4G technology. Built at a cost of around ₹37,000 crore, the towers rely entirely on Indian technology, placing the country among a select group with homegrown telecom manufacturing capacity.

Speaking at the event, Modi said Odisha would play a central role in India’s growth story. “Odisha has been immensely gifted by nature. Odisha has seen many decades of suffering, but this decade will take Odisha towards prosperity. This decade is very important for Odisha... The Central government has recently approved two semiconductor units for Odisha... A semiconductor park will also be constructed in Odisha,” he said, as reported by ANI.

The network itself has been designed to be cloud-based and adaptable for future upgrades. “The India-made network is cloud-based, future-ready and can upgrade seamlessly to 5G,” an official told PTI.

According to BSNL, the project will connect more than 26,700 previously unserved villages, including 2,472 in Odisha, many of them in remote or extremism-affected areas. The expansion aims to boost digital access, participation, and communication for underserved communities.

A notable feature of the rollout is the introduction of solar-powered towers, which together create India’s largest cluster of green telecom sites, blending connectivity expansion with sustainability.

The Prime Minister also introduced the Digital Bharat Nidhi initiative, which will connect nearly 30,000 villages through a 100 per cent 4G saturation project executed in mission mode.