IMC 2025: Mobile data cheaper than a cup of tea in India, says PM Modi

Mobile data in India is now cheaper than a cup of tea, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi while inaugurating the ninth edition of the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2025 at Yashobhoomi Convention Centre in New Delhi on Wednesday (October 8, 2025).

“India ranks among the leading nations in per-user data consumption…India[ns’ user data cost] is now lower than the price of a cup of tea,” added PM Modi.

PM Modi further said that mobile manufacturing has gone up 28 times while exports have have risen 127 times. Over the past decade, the mobile phone manufacturing sector has generated millions of direct jobs.

“India’s electronics production has grown 6 times since 2014,” he said.

On local value addition, PM Modi said that a global well-known company’s supply chain ecosystem has grown to 45 local partners, creating more than 3.5 lakh jobs. He was referring to Apple’s India presence, where it has expanded its local supply chain ecosystem after cutting its dependence on China. Apple has partners like Dixon, Amber, HCL Tech, Wipro and Motherson Group in India for supply components.

Prime Minister said that numerous companies are manufacturing at scale across the country, and when indirect opportunities are added, the employment figures become even more substantial.

PM Modi told the gathering that India is working on 10 semiconductor manufacturing units. He said that the supply chain bottleneck is an opportunity for India to scale, and asked companies to work on chipsets and other mobile components.

Modi further said this is the best time to invest, innovate and make in India. He highlighted that the made-in-India 4G stack is ready for export and only five countries in the world have this tech. He said that through the indigenous 4G and 5G stack, India will not only ensure seamless connectivity but also deliver high-speed internet and reliable services to its citizens. He also felt that the 4G stack will help achieve India’s 6G vision by 2030.

Prime Minister Modi said that India has become the second largest 5G market in the world.

The country today has 5G in almost every district that once struggled with 2G, he said.

He also spoke about cyber security and said it is being accorded equal priority in the country. He stated that laws against cyber frauds have been made stricter, accountability has been enhanced, and that grievance redressal mechanisms have been improved. He remarked that both industry and consumers are significantly benefiting from these measures.

Jyotiraditya Scindia, Minister of Communications, also stated that India’s mobile data costs have fallen by 98% over the past 11 years, dropping from ₹287 per GB in 2014 to ₹9.11 today. “There was a time when a single minute of voice was a luxury. Today, India is home to 20% of the world’s mobile population with 1.2 billion subscribers,” he added.