In Short:
Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia emphasized the importance of young talent in achieving Aatmanirbhar Bharat, or self-reliance in India, during his visit to IIT Madras. He praised the indigenous 5G Testbed project, which showcases India’s innovation and aims to help the country become the third-largest economy. Researchers demonstrated high-speed communications using locally developed technology. Scindia also visited Nokia’s facility in Chennai to see advancements in Industry 4.0 technologies, crucial for telecom manufacturing. He inaugurated Cisco’s manufacturing site in Sriperumbudur, which will produce essential 5G equipment and reduce reliance on imports, supported by the government’s PLI scheme.
Commitment to a Self-Reliant India
In a vibrant statement, **Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia** emphasized the significance of nurturing young talent in driving towards an Aatmanirbhar Bharat—a self-reliant and globally competitive nation. This was echoed during his recent visit to **IIT Madras**, where he had the chance to explore an exciting milestone: the indigenous **5G Testbed project**.
Innovation at Its Best
The minister expressed immense pride in seeing the youth of India leading the charge in technological and economic advancements. He remarked, “Initiatives like the indigenous 5G Testbed project at IIT Madras not only showcase India’s advancing innovation capabilities but also mark a crucial step towards establishing ourselves as the third-largest economy globally.”
The results from the **5G Testbed** were nothing short of impressive, demonstrating astonishing speeds of 1Gbps, thanks to homegrown technology and base stations.
Working Towards a Developed India
**Professor V Kamakoti**, Director of IIT Madras, reiterated the resolve of higher education institutions to contribute to the vision of a **Viksit Bharat** (Developed India) by the year 2047, specifically highlighting the 5G project as a pivotal component in this journey towards innovation.
Exploring Industry 4.0 at Nokia
Minister Scindia took his innovative tour further by visiting the campus of **Nokia Solutions and Networks** in Chennai. There, he witnessed groundbreaking applications of **Industry 4.0 technologies** that are spurring innovation within the telecom manufacturing sector. The showcase included cutting-edge technologies such as **private wireless**, **artificial intelligence (AI)**, and **augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR)**.
During this visit, the minister underlined the critical role of Industry 4.0 in promoting high-tech telecom manufacturing and praised **Nokia** for its unwavering commitment to advancing world-class manufacturing in India.
Unveiling Cisco’s New Venture
The minister also had the honor of inaugurating **Cisco’s** latest manufacturing facility located in **Sriperumbudur**. This facility is set to play a key role in producing advanced telecom and networking equipment essential for **5G** and the technologies of the future, thus helping reduce India’s dependence on imports.
The facility was made possible through a collaboration with **Flex India** and is one of the shining beneficiaries of the **PLI scheme** from the **Department of Telecommunications (DoT)**.
