Summary:
India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026 concluded in New Delhi after four days of discussions and technology demonstrations focused on the theme “Scale Without Boundaries.” The event brought together over 600 exhibitors and partners, 500 startups and 900 thought leaders to explore AI, 5G, 6G, satellite connectivity, telecom manufacturing and cybersecurity. Speakers highlighted India’s progress in expanding 5G coverage and mobile manufacturing while stressing the need to strengthen domestic component production, develop homegrown intellectual property and improve digital security. As IMC enters its second decade, sustained investment, skilled talent, policy support and innovation will be crucial to advancing India’s ambition to become a global technology leader.
The 10th edition of the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026 wrapped up at Yashobhoomi in New Delhi on October 10, following four days of keynote addresses, technical discussions, technology demonstrations and policy exchanges centred on the theme “Scale Without Boundaries”. Organised by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), with an expanded contribution from the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA), the event was structured around four pillars: SRISHTI, SAMVARDHAN, SASHAKT and SURAKSHA, representing innovation, growth, opportunity and trust.
Over the four-day event, IMC brought together more than 600 partners and exhibitors, over 500 startups and upwards of 900 thought leaders. Participants presented more than 2,000 technology applications across over 120 sessions.
The event opened on October 8, 2026, with the inauguration by the Prime Minister of India. Highlighting the country’s connectivity progress, he noted that 5G services now extend to every district, supported by more than 550,000 base stations. He emphasised India’s transition from being a technology consumer to becoming a technology creator, with a growing focus on controlling product design, technology and intellectual property (IP). He also called for a coordinated international framework to tackle cyber fraud and deepfakes. The Union Minister for Communications added that India’s mobile phone manufacturing sector had expanded from approximately $2–3 billion in 2014 to around $63 billion.
The need to strengthen domestic ownership remained a recurring theme throughout the congress. During the session on “Telecom Product Manufacturing on Scale”, speakers highlighted India’s transition from basic assembly operations towards design-driven manufacturing and homegrown IP development. However, reliance on imported printed circuit boards, passive components and semiconductors continues to pose a challenge.
Artificial intelligence (AI) was a prominent subject across nearly every discussion track. Industry keynote speakers highlighted the potential of programmable 5G standalone networks and computing resources located closer to end users. A session on zero-touch networks explored closed-loop automation, interoperability across multiple vendors and safeguards for AI agents. Meanwhile, a workshop conducted by the AI for Good Lab reported that more than 38,000 graphics processing units (GPUs) had been onboarded under the IndiaAI Mission, with an additional 20,000 in the process of being added.
Future connectivity technologies also received considerable attention. The third International Bharat 6G Symposium emphasised the importance of testbeds in translating research into practical deployment, identifying fixed wireless access and integrated sensing and communication as potential early priorities. Discussions on satellite connectivity examined how direct-to-device (D2D) services could extend coverage to remote, mountainous and border areas that remain difficult to reach through terrestrial networks, despite the latter covering approximately 99% of the population. Wider adoption, however, will depend on regulatory certainty, effective spectrum management and affordable devices.
Commercial viability remained another major focus. Discussions on network slicing indicated that enterprise customers are more likely to invest in services offering predictable latency, guaranteed throughput and measurable service-level agreements, provided open internet principles are maintained. Sessions on digital infrastructure also identified managed enterprise services, partnerships with hyperscalers and network application programming interfaces as potential sources of future revenue.
Trust and security emerged as connecting themes across the event. Discussions on digital fraud and 5G network security highlighted the importance of intelligence sharing between telecom operators, banks and digital platforms, alongside zero-trust security architectures and human oversight of high-impact AI decisions. With approximately 36% of India’s telecom network still classified as legacy infrastructure from a supply-chain perspective, continuous monitoring and regular security improvements were identified as essential.
Looking ahead, achieving sustainable scale will depend on strong demand, a deeper domestic component ecosystem, greater ownership of intellectual property, adequate capital, skilled talent and consistent long-term policy support. From its inaugural edition in 2017, which attracted around 32,000 visitors and 100 exhibitors, IMC has grown significantly, with approximately 150,000 attendees from more than 100 countries expected in 2026. As the congress begins its second decade, it will remain an important platform for testing India’s ambition to achieve “Scale Without Boundaries”.
