Advertisment

India Mobile Congress | Harnessing Innovation for TMT and ICT

India Mobile Congress (IMC) is much more than just a global event – it has become a movement in itself, a unique destination for industry, government, academia to discuss the latest trends and innovations in the realm of TMT and ICT. 

author-image
Zia Askari
New Update
Ramakrishna P

Today, India Mobile Congress (IMC) is much more than just a global event – it has become a movement in itself, a unique destination for industry, government, academia, and other ecosystem players from around the world to discuss, deliberate, demonstrate, and showcase the latest trends and innovations in the realm of Telecom, Media, and Technology (TMT) and ICT. 

Advertisment

Ramakrishna P., CEO, India Mobile Congress (IMC) speaks with Zia Askari from TelecomDrive.com about how the event is fast becoming a catalyst for India’s growth in telecom sector.  

What kind of growth did the telecom sector witness in 2024?

The Indian telecom industry witnessed remarkable growth and transformation in 2024, playing a pivotal role in the nation’s socioeconomic development. With a robust subscriber base of 1.2 billion and average monthly data usage per user reaching 21.3 GB, the sector achieved significant milestones, including the installation of over 4,60,592 5G BTS sites and a 5G user base surpassing 125 million. Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) gained traction, amassing nearly 3 million connections within a year.

Advertisment

The sector embraced cutting-edge technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) to optimize operations, enhance customer experiences, and prevent fraud, with 55% of telecom organizations fully integrating AI. India also made strides in 6G research, spearheaded by the Bharat 6G Vision, fostering innovation and aiming for a global leadership position.

Despite progress, challenges persist. Issues like uneven OTT regulation, spectrum allocation, Right of Way (RoW) bottlenecks, and telecom equipment theft hamper growth. However, measures such as the abolition of the Wireless Operating License (WOL) and tax reforms have provided relief to telecom service providers.

As the industry advances with ambitious expansion plans and collaborations, addressing these challenges will be crucial to sustaining innovation and maintaining its trajectory as a key contributor to India's growth story.

Advertisment

How did IMC 2024 help in the growth of the telecom sector?

There is only so much an organisation, institution or even the government can achieve alone. Thus, understanding this need for collaboration to foster innovation and growth, India has emerged as a global leader in technology, overcoming all the challenges along the way. Furthermore, collaborating at a global scale has allowed India to not only align itself with international standards but also play a role in setting these standards and combating the challenges faced by the global ecosystem as a whole. 

Providing such a platform for collaboration, the India Mobile Congress has been bringing together industry, government, academia, and other ecosystem players from around the world to discuss, deliberate, demonstrate, and display the latest trends in the realm of Telecom, Media, and Technology (TMT) and ICT. 

Keeping pace with the ever-evolving industry IMC 2024 featured discussions and showcases across sectors like AI, 6G, cloud & edge computing, IoT, cleantech, quantum, satcom, broadcasting, and other emerging areas in the tech and telecom sector, with the aim of developing a robust ecosystem. 

Additionally, IMC 2024, we highlighted India’s advancements in areas like digital infrastructure, semiconductors, and electronics manufacturing. The focus is not just on meeting domestic demand but also on tapping into global markets as a key exporter of cutting-edge telecom products and solutions.

Platforms like IMC play an important role in showcasing this potential and attracting investments that further boost India’s manufacturing and export capabilities.

What was the significance of the theme for IMC 2024, ‘The Future is Now’? 

In the last decade, India has undergone massive technological changes with the country becoming a digitally enabled society. In its first iteration, i.e., 2017, IMC’s theme was ‘Connecting the Next Billion’, highlighting India’s resolve at the time of spreading digital connectivity across the country, especially in the remote areas, with the target of 1 million wi-fi hotspots by 2019 and 700 million internet users in the country by 2022. 

Since then, India has come a long way and the theme for India Mobile Congress 2024, ‘The Future is Now’ signified that. The event brought together global leaders - visionaries, pioneers, and innovators - to collaborate and actively shape the technologies transforming our world today, where the future isn't just a concept - it's happening. 

How has the India Mobile Congress (IMC) evolved since its inception in 2017, and how did the 2024 edition, held alongside the World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA), shape global thought leadership and future technologies?

Since its inception in 2017, the India Mobile Congress (IMC) has grown into one of the world’s most prominent tech expos. Starting with 152 speakers, 100 exhibitors, and 32,000 attendees, IMC 2024 marked a significant milestone with 1.75 lakh participants, 264 Partners & exhibitors, 920 startups, and representation from 123 countries. The event showcased over 1,475 technology use cases, including 750 AI applications, and hosted 186 sessions featuring 860 speakers.

Held alongside WTSA 2024, IMC provided a platform for shaping global telecommunication standards and advancing future technologies. IMC aims to be a hub for thought leadership, providing valuable insights into the future of telecom, digital policy, sustainability, and innovation. The event encourages collaboration, spark discussions, and help attendees stay informed in a fast-changing digital world. It’s about creating a space where business meets knowledge, leaving participants with a clearer vision of the future.

How did the startup ecosystem benefit from the second edition of IMC’s flagship startup event ‘Aspire’?

Featuring over 900 startups, ‘Aspire’ provided a remarkable platform for startups to showcase their innovations, engage with global investors, and gain insights through masterclasses and panel discussions led by industry leaders, driving innovation across diverse sectors.

Partnering with Telecom Centres of Excellence India (TCOE), Telecom Equipment and Services Export Promotion Council (TEPC) and TiE Delhi-NCR to enhance engagement across various sectors, Aspire showcased startups in cutting-edge areas such as 5G applications, AI, Deep Tech, Green Tech, and Smart Mobility, underscoring the event's commitment to fostering technological advancement.

Additionally, the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), in collaboration with TiE Delhi-NCR, launched the 2nd edition of LEAP AHEAD at IMC 2024. This initiative focuses on empowering tech startups across India, especially in Tier-II and Tier-III cities. 

To facilitate this collaboration, we hosted several engaging programs like Startup Pitch, Investor Reverse Pitches, and Fireside Chats, featuring candid discussions with experts on starting, scaling, and sustaining their startups in the dynamic landscape. 

Aspire 2024 also provided startups with significant access to potential investors and mentors, facilitating over 500 one-on-one meetings. The event also featured more than 100 mentoring sessions, where startups received valuable guidance from industry veterans. 

Spotlight IMC India Mobile Congress
Advertisment