Scindia outlines affordable connectivity vision at Mobile World Congress 2026
New Delhi: Union Minister for Communications Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia led India’s engagements at Mobile World Congress 2026 in Barcelona, outlining the country’s vision for affordable, inclusive and intelligent digital connectivity.
He delivered the Closing Keynote at the GSMA Ministerial Programme on the theme “Breaking the Cost Barrier.” The session addressed affordability challenges that exclude 3.1 billion people from meaningful digital participation. Scindia said device and service costs remain central to digital inclusion.
“Connectivity must become universally affordable if it is to be truly transformative,” he said. He added that the real challenge lies in removing cost barriers that prevent billions from joining the digital economy.
Highlighting India’s experience, he said policy reform, competition and scale helped reduce data costs. He stressed that next-generation networks, from 5G to emerging 6G ecosystems, must remain affordable and scalable. He also called for coordinated action by governments, industry and global institutions.
Later, the Minister addressed the main stage session titled “Built for What’s Next.” He said networks are evolving into intelligent and adaptive platforms powered by AI and cloud-native technologies. According to him, connectivity now drives innovation, growth and social empowerment.
Mobile World Congress 2026 showcases India’s telecom innovation push
Scindia inaugurated the Bharat Pavilion, where 40 Indian companies showcased telecom manufacturing and innovation capabilities. Exhibits covered 4G and 5G radio networks, optical transport, IP/MPLS routing, broadband access, satellite communication, AI-driven network systems and next-generation data infrastructure.
He also unveiled the curtain raiser for India Mobile Congress 2026 at the GSMA Insights Hub. He announced that IMC 2026 will take place from 7th–10th October 2026 in New Delhi.
During the visit, the Minister launched the TJ1600-D3 Hyper-scalable DCI Platform at the Tejas Networks booth. He held bilateral meetings with Eutelsat and Viasat to discuss resilient connectivity frameworks. He also met ITU Secretary General Doreen Bogdan-Martin during the event.
Scindia interacted with industry leaders, including Bharti Group Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal. He visited booths of global firms such as Meta, Rakuten, Ericsson, Nokia, Intel, Cisco and Qualcomm. Officials demonstrated AI-enabled, 5G and emerging 6G technologies.
Mobile World Congress 2026 is being held from March 2–5 at Fira Barcelona Gran Via. Organised by GSMA, the event carries the theme “The IQ Era” and focuses on integrating artificial intelligence with advanced connectivity systems.
