'We are partners in ecosystem': Scindia stresses govt-industry partnership at IMC 2026
Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia says the government has shifted from regulator to facilitator at IMC 2026, emphasizing a partnership-led approach.
Union Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia has declared a paradigm shift in the government's approach toward the telecommunications sector. Speaking at the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026, Scindia emphasized that the government has transitioned from being a mere regulator to a proactive facilitator, working in tandem with all stakeholders to ensure the success of the entire telecom ecosystem.
A Shift from Regulator to Facilitator
While visiting the Airtel Arena during the summit, Scindia highlighted that the success of India's digital landscape is intrinsically linked to the collective achievement of every player in the value chain. He noted that the sector relies on a complex web of contributors, including network equipment and optical fibre manufacturers, telecom operators, internet service providers, and application platform companies.
"We are partners in the ecosystem, whichever vertical you may look at, and success is defined by the combined success of the ecosystem," Scindia stated. He further elaborated that for true partnership to flourish, the government must move away from traditional hierarchical structures.
The 'Round Table' Approach
In a significant metaphor for the new era of governance, the Union Minister suggested that policy discussions should move away from "rectangular tables" where one party holds all the power. Instead, he advocated for a "round table" approach where the government sits in the middle rather than at the head.
"I want to emphasise that a little: not a rectangular table, but a round table, because then the concept of partnership succeeds. And the second thing that I try to do is make sure that the minister does not sit at the head of the table. The minister sits in the middle of the table, and therefore dons that role of a partner," he remarked.
Modernizing the Legal Framework
Scindia underscored the historic legislative changes brought about by the government over the last three years. He pointed out that the industry was previously governed by a Telecommunications Act dating back to 1885—nearly 140 years ago. To meet modern demands, the government introduced the new Telecommunications Act in 2023, which Scindia described as "future-forward-facing."
The new Act has introduced several key pillars of reform, including:
- Simplified Regulatory Framework: Moving away from complex, fragmented license categories to a streamlined system.
- Increased Transparency: Creating a clear and predictable environment for all service providers.
- Migratory Systems: Implementing a transparent process for existing service providers to transition under the new regulations.
India's Digital Dominance and Connectivity
The Minister also highlighted India's massive scale in digital connectivity. He noted that India's monthly data usage has reached 6 GB per user, surpassing many of the world's most advanced economies, proving that digital scale can coexist with affordability.
Scindia emphasized that connectivity is only the beginning; the real goal is expanding human capability through the integration of telecommunications with digital public infrastructure. He cited the massive scale of India's digital stack as a primary example:
- Aadhaar: Empowering 1.4 billion people.
- UPI: Processing approximately 20 billion transactions every month, with the last fiscal year seeing 260 billion transactions worth USD 3.4 trillion.