MUMBAI: India has just made a call that will echo worldwide and it’s a truly Swadeshi one. BSNL, in collaboration with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), C-DOT, and Tejas Networks, has unveiled the Bharat Telecom Stack, a fully indigenous solution powering 4G and beyond, marking a historic stride towards a digitally self-reliant nation.
With this rollout, India joins an elite club of just five countries globally to have built a homegrown telecom technology stack. What makes it remarkable is the scale and speed the entire project, spanning 100,000 sites, was completed in just two years, making it one of the fastest 4G deployments worldwide.
Executed under a “mission mode” governance model, the project saw TCS establish data centres, integrate C-DOT’s EPC Core Application, and deploy Tejas Networks’ base stations and radio infrastructure, all stitched together with TCS CNOPS, a cognitive platform for 24/7 real-time network management. The rollout integrates seamlessly into BSNL’s existing 2G/3G systems, ensuring connectivity continuity while boosting capacity for the digital era.
For BSNL CMD A Robert J Ravi, the launch was more than technology, it was symbolism: “The nationwide rollout of our indigenous 4G network, built with TCS, Tejas, and C-DOT, is a resounding declaration of an Atmanirbhar Bharat. This ‘Made in Bharat’ stack secures our digital future and bridges the divide like never before.”
The technology isn’t just about speed or spectrum; it’s about sovereignty. By delivering ultra-secure, standards-compliant connectivity, the stack safeguards national security while democratising access enabling online education, telemedicine, e-governance, and citizen services for rural and urban India alike.
BSNL’s director (Consumer Mobility) Sandeep Govil highlighted its transformative potential: “This Swadeshi 4G technology, the result of innovation by C-DOT, Tejas, TCS, and BSNL’s workforce, is engineered for scalability. It is a cornerstone for a digitally inclusive society, ready to evolve to 5G and beyond.”
For TCS and Tejas Networks chairman N Ganapathy Subramaniam, the achievement reinforces India’s tech legacy: “We have put India on the map of only a handful of countries with a comprehensive, trusted, and software-upgradable telecom technology stack. The successful deployment at BSNL is historic, laying the foundation for India’s further contribution to global standards.”
The launch also reflects TCS’s longstanding role in shaping India’s digital infrastructure from modernising stock exchanges and passport services to healthcare and pensions for defence personnel touching millions of lives across decades.
With ultra-high bandwidth, energy efficiency (0.1 W/Gbit, 65 per cent lower than average), and intelligence boosting O&M efficiency by 40 per cent, the Bharat Telecom Stack is more than a national achievement. It is a signal loud and clear that India is ready to lead in telecom innovation, connecting every citizen while setting global benchmarks.
In short: India just built its own dial tone for the future and it’s calling the world to listen.
