Jyotiraditya M. Scindia leads India’s engagements at Mobile World Congress 2026 in Barcelona, Spain

Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, led India’s engagements at Mobile World Congress 2026 in Barcelona, Spain, with high-level participation at the GSMA Ministerial Programme and the MWC Main Stage, outlining India’s vision for affordable, inclusive and future-ready digital connectivity.

Closing Keynote at GSMA Ministerial Programme: “Breaking the Cost Barrier”

Shri Scindia delivered the Closing Keynote address at the Ministerial Stage during the session themed “Breaking the Cost Barrier.” The session focused on addressing affordability challenges that continue to exclude 3.1 billion people globally from meaningful digital participation.

Emphasising the urgency of bridging the usage gap, the Minister underscored that affordability of devices and services remains central to digital inclusion.

“Connectivity must become universally affordable if it is to be truly transformative. The challenge before us is not the absence of technology, but the cost barriers that prevent billions from participating in the digital economy,” the Union Minister stated.

Highlighting India’s experience in driving down data costs through policy reform, competition and scale, he added, “India’s digital journey demonstrates that scale, innovation and stable policy frameworks can dramatically reduce costs. Our collective responsibility is to ensure that next-generation connectivity — from 5G to emerging 6G ecosystems — remains affordable, inclusive and scalable.”

Shri Scindia called for a coordinated, multi-stakeholder approach involving governments, industry, financial institutions and global bodies to enable device affordability, innovative financing models and sustainable digital ecosystems.

Later in the day, Union Minister Shri Scindia addressed the MWC Main Stage in the keynote session titled “Built for What’s Next.” The address focused on the evolution of networks into intelligent, adaptive and human-centric platforms powered by AI, cloud-native technologies and next-generation infrastructure.

The Union Minister underscored the evolution of connectivity from being merely a tool for access to becoming a powerful engine of opportunity, driving innovation, economic growth and social empowerment.

“We are moving into an era where networks are intelligent, autonomous and anticipatory. AI-driven systems, cloud-native architectures and secure digital ecosystems are redefining how citizens experience connectivity and how enterprises innovate,” he remarked.

He further noted: “The future of connectivity lies not only in faster speeds, but in frictionless digital experiences, resilient infrastructure and sustainable growth. Technology must empower individuals, strengthen businesses and enable societies to thrive.”

The address reaffirmed India’s commitment to building secure, trusted and globally competitive digital infrastructure.