India’s 4G Stack: A Step Toward Telecom Self-Reliance and Global Digital Exports

4G Stack Latest News

• PM Modi, at the India Mobile Congress 2025, announced that India’s indigenously developed 4G stack would not only enhance connectivity and internet access within the country but also be exported globally.
• The 4G stack, comprising both telecom hardware and software, is part of India’s strategy to challenge China’s dominance in building telecom infrastructure across the developing world, especially in Africa. 
• Though less advanced than Chinese systems from Huawei and ZTE, India aims to expand its footprint through affordable, secure, and locally developed solutions.
• Additionally, New Delhi plans to export its ‘India Stack’ — a set of digital public infrastructure tools for identity, data management, and payments — positioning itself as a key player in digital transformation for developing nations.

About 4G

• 4G (fourth-generation wireless) represents the broadband mobile communication standard that succeeded 3G and paved the way for 5G. 
• It delivers high-speed internet, enabling HD video streaming and wireless broadband connectivity without wired ISP networks.
• Technologies such as LTE, MIMO, and OFDM power 4G networks, offering higher bandwidth, lower latency, and improved efficiency.

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India’s Indigenous 4G Technology Stack: A Step Toward Telecom Self-Reliance

• India has achieved a landmark milestone by launching its first indigenously developed 4G network, featuring 98,000 Swadeshi 4G towers powered entirely by homegrown technology. 
• The initiative — led by C-DOT (core network), Tejas Networks (radio access), and TCS (system integration) — marks a major stride towards Aatmanirbhar Bharat and digital self-reliance.
• Previously reliant on foreign technology for 2G, 3G, and 4G, India built this stack from scratch during the Covid-19 pandemic, demonstrating resilience, innovation, and supply-chain independence. 
• The BSNL 4G stack, designed to be cloud-native and 5G-ready, provides seamless connectivity and ensures easy future upgrades.
• Complementary initiatives such as the Bharat 6G Alliance, Telecom Technology Development Fund, and 100 5G/6G labs are accelerating India’s journey toward Viksit Bharat 2047 and global digital leadership.

Key Features of India’s 4G Stack

• End-to-End Indigenous Stack: Combines Tejas Networks’ Radio Access Network, C-DOT’s Core Network, and TCS integration, cutting reliance on foreign vendors.
• Cloud-Native Software Architecture: Enables scalability, rapid upgrades, and smooth migration to 5G.
• Future-Proof Design: The network is 5G-ready, allowing upgrades without replacing existing infrastructure.
• Nationwide Reach: Deployed across 92,000+ sites, bringing connectivity to 22 million citizens, including tribal and remote areas.

Benefits and Impact of the Indigenous 4G Stack

• Strategic Autonomy and Digital Sovereignty – Empowers India to control its telecom infrastructure, ensuring security, independence, and reduced dependence on global tech providers.
• Digital Inclusion: Enhances access to education, healthcare, and agriculture services through reliable internet in remote regions.
• Secure Connectivity for Armed Forces: Strengthens national security and ensures secure communications for defense personnel.
• Employment and Supply-Chain Development – Boosts domestic manufacturing, generates jobs, and nurtures a skilled workforce, reinforcing India’s telecom ecosystem.
• Global Export Potential – The indigenous 4G stack meets domestic needs while holding export potential, with interest from multiple developing nations.
• Rapid Indigenous Development – Developed in just 22 months, the project highlights India’s engineering capability and agility in telecom innovation.
• Swadeshi Principle in Action – Reflects the Swadeshi ethos, promoting domestic production, local skills, and community enterprise, driving inclusive growth.

India’s 4G Export Plan as a Response to China’s Digital Silk Road

• For years, China’s telecom giants like Huawei and ZTE have dominated developing markets by offering low-cost telecom infrastructure, backed by state funding and easy loans.
• According to the Organisation for Research on China and Asia, this strategy forms part of China’s Digital Silk Road (DSR) — a key component of the Belt and Road Initiative aimed at expanding digital connectivity across the developing world.
• The DSR promotes Chinese technology, goods, and services, including cellular networks, mobile apps, and payment platforms, while cementing China’s role as the global supplier of digital infrastructure. 
• It represents a state–industry alliance, supported by policy banks and political backing, to strengthen China’s technological and geopolitical influence.

Source: IE | PIB | IE