Scindia urges universal affordable digital access, citing telecom price cuts and user growth
Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said affordable connectivity should be a right, pointing to steep declines in voice and data costs and a surge in internet users.
During a speech to the Indian Foundation for Quality Management Symposium 2026, Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia asserted that affordable digital access must be guaranteed as a right in every industry. He cited the dramatic reduction of voice call charges from Rs 16 per minute in the 1990s to zero, and a 97 percent fall in data costs from Rs 287 per gigabyte in 2014 to about Rs 8 per gigabyte today. Scindia also pointed out that the number of internet users has expanded from around 250 million to more than 1.1 billion.
He described telecom’s progress as a model for other sectors, emphasizing the need for quality, intent, innovation, technology and self-reliance to drive further growth. The minister concluded that such an approach would strengthen India’s global brand across all product categories.
