How BSNL’s 4G stack embodies swadeshi spirit

India’s entry into the select club of five nations capable of producing this technology is historic.The indigenous 4G stack not only serves domestic demand, but has also been designed for export with several countries already expressing interest

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Swadeshi may begin as an idea, but becomes an engine of growth when it is lived. Rooted in self-reliance, it champions domestic production, cultivates indigenous skills, galvanises community enterprise and weaves economic dignity into everyday life. When Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi revived this ethic in 2020 with the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision, the slogan became a clarion call for enhancing capability and developing a moral economy in which Indian makers meet Indian needs and then offer those solutions to the world.

The embodiment of this principle is Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), and the rules it has rewritten for the telecommunications sector pertain to the technological and civic arenas in equal measure.

In the midst of Covid-19 pandemic, with the country demanding resilience and supply-chain autonomy, BSNL resolved to design and build a completely indigenous 4G stack as it prepared itself for its 4G rollout. That resolve turned policy into practice and thereon, into palpable infrastructure, demonstrating swadeshi principles applied to critical national capacity.

A 4G stack is the brain and backbone of modern mobile communication. It is the fusion of hardware and software that ensures calls connect, data flows seamlessly, and internet experiences remain robust.

For decades, these vital systems came from abroad, leaving India dependent on foreign technology. While global vendors expanded incrementally from 2G and 3G legacies, India began with a blank sheet and sketched its own architecture. With the PM's vision and BSNL's determination, the country embarked on building this architecture from scratch, demonstrating that the will to innovate can outpace inherited advantage.