The 8th edition of the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2024, Asia’s largest telecom, media, and technology forum, commenced today in New Delhi.
Organized jointly by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), the event was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During the inauguration, PM Modi highlighted the four pillars of Digital India: affordable devices, widespread digital connectivity, accessible data, and a “Digital First” goal.
Under the theme “The Future is Now”, IMC 2024 will run from October 15-18, featuring discussions and exhibitions from global leaders, innovators, and tech visionaries across multiple industries. The event’s agenda covers key areas such as 5G and 6G technologies, quantum technology, semiconductors, green tech, cybersecurity, and electronics manufacturing.
In his opening remarks, Lt. Gen. Dr. S.P. Kochhar, Director General of COAI, emphasized India’s growing global leadership in technology, following PM Modi’s speech, which focused on technology-driven leadership and opportunities for women.
Key industry insights:
Mats Granryd, Director General of GSMA, praised India’s unmatched 5G rollout, stressing the need for ethical AI development and alignment on spectrum management to meet connectivity goals.
Andres Vicente, Head of Ericsson India, highlighted India’s rapid 5G deployment, stating that the country has built half a billion base stations within 22 months, covering 90% of the population.
Alex Rogers, President, Qualcomm, noted that India is the second-largest smartphone market and emphasized shifting AI workloads to edge devices to address rising power demands.
Udayan Mukherjee, Intel Senior Fellow, discussed AI’s transformative role in telecommunications, especially as research progresses into 6G.
With over 400 exhibitors, 900 startups, and representatives from more than 120 countries, IMC 2024 is set to showcase cutting-edge innovations and solutions. It also runs alongside the prestigious World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA) 2024 and the Global Standards Symposium (GSS) 2024.
