In a major leap toward digital financial inclusion, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced the launch of an offline feature for its Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), popularly known as the ‘Digi Rupee’.
The offline functionality allows users to transfer money without internet connectivity, a development aimed at empowering citizens in rural, remote, and low-connectivity areas across the country.
According to the RBI, this innovation will make digital payments more accessible, ensuring that even those without reliable network coverage can participate in India’s growing digital economy.
The offline Digi Rupee can be used for peer-to-peer (P2P) and person-to-merchant (P2M) transactions, just like digital wallets, but backed directly by the central bank — making it secure, instant, and cost-efficient.
Experts believe that the move could significantly boost the adoption of digital transactions and support the government’s broader Digital India mission.
The initiative also underscores RBI’s ongoing efforts to enhance financial inclusion and build a resilient payment ecosystem that reaches every citizen, regardless of connectivity.
With this step, India joins a small group of countries exploring offline digital currency technology, marking another milestone in its transformation into a digitally empowered economy.
India has officially ceased importing internet bandwidth from Bangladesh, marking a landmark achievement in its journey towards digital self-reliance. Until recently, bandwidth from Bangladesh helped support internet services in India’s Northeastern states. Now, that role is being fully taken over by Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), through its 100% indigenous Swadeshi 4G network infrastructure.
This strategic shift is part of the government’s larger vision under the 4G Saturation Project, which aims to bring high-speed internet access to every village and remote area in India. BSNL has already begun strengthening digital connectivity across the Northeast, ensuring critical infrastructure is powered by domestic capabilities. This not only bolsters national security and technological independence but also reduces reliance on foreign telecom resources.
Nationwide, BSNL is making massive strides. It plans to upgrade over 92,500 indigenously developed 4G towers to 5G within the next six to eight months. With these upgrades, BSNL is positioned to compete alongside private telecom giants, but with a unique focus on public service, rural access, and national interest.
What makes this transition even more significant is BSNL’s remarkable financial turnaround. From years of losses, the state-run telecom provider is now back in profit and rapidly expanding its services. Its 4G rollout has already begun at scale and is being recognized as a technological milestone for India.
The halt of internet bandwidth imports and BSNL’s indigenous push signal a broader shift in India’s digital story — one where connectivity is built, managed, and scaled within the country. With domestic infrastructure powering everything from mobile data to rural broadband, India is building a future where digital access is sovereign, secure, and self-made.
In a historic move underscoring India’s digital transformation and technological self-reliance, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) launched its indigenous 4G network on September 27, 2025, powered by the collaborative effort of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), and Tejas Networks. This state-of-the-art solution, known as the Bharat Telecom Stack, has been fully conceptualized, developed, and deployed in India, reflecting the core values of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
The launch marks a significant technological achievement, making India one of only five nations worldwide to possess a fully indigenous telecom technology stack capable of delivering 4G and paving the way for future networks. With this launch, more than 26,700 additional villages are now digitally connected, giving millions of citizens access to essential services like e-learning, e-governance, telemedicine, and online banking.
TCS led the deployment of the end-to-end network architecture in mission mode, establishing data centers, integrating C-DOT’s EPC Core Application, deploying Tejas Networks’ radio access network (RAN) infrastructure, and using TCS Cognitive Network Operations (CNOPS™) for continuous, intelligent network monitoring.
The speed and scale of this deployment have been unprecedented. Within just two years, the teams successfully installed and commissioned over 100,000 telecom sites, achieving full integration with BSNL’s existing 2G and 3G infrastructure. This rapid rollout strengthens national telecom security and enables rural populations to benefit from next-generation connectivity.
“This nationwide rollout of our indigenous 4G network is a monumental achievement for national pride,” said Sh. A Robert J Ravi, Chairman and Managing Director of BSNL. “It secures our digital future and ensures that connectivity empowers every citizen, bridging the digital divide like never before.”
Echoing this sentiment, Sh. Sandeep Govil, Director (Consumer Mobility) at BSNL, added, “This Swadeshi 4G technology, the result of tireless innovation by C-DOT, Tejas, and TCS, is engineered for scalability and ready for the leap to 5G. It will become the cornerstone for building a digitally inclusive society.”
N. Ganapathy Subramaniam, Advisor – Telecom Strategic Initiatives at TCS and Chairman of Tejas Networks, called the deployment “historic and significant,” noting that the Bharat Telecom Stack, compliant with 3GPP standards, lays a strong foundation for India’s future contributions to global telecom innovations.
This milestone adds another chapter to TCS’s six-decade legacy of enabling large-scale nation-building programs. From transforming passport services to digitizing pension systems and public sector services, TCS continues to build the digital public infrastructure that touches nearly every citizen in the country.
The Swadeshi 4G rollout is not just a technological upgrade—it is a strategic leap for India’s digital sovereignty, bridging rural-urban gaps and ensuring that the digital revolution reaches even the most remote corners of the nation.
In the ever-evolving world of digital technology, even political communication is witnessing a transformation. The latest example of this trend comes from Goa, where Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant has taken a leap into the future by embracing artificial intelligence. A hyper-realistic 3D image of the Chief Minister, generated using Google’s popular AI tool ‘Nano Banana,’ is currently making waves across social media platforms.
The image, which has been widely shared by the official BJP Goa handles as well as numerous fan pages, presents the Chief Minister in a strikingly vivid and life-like form. From sharp facial features and expressive details to the intricate textures of his clothing and the realistic background, every element of the portrait reflects the remarkable capabilities of AI in creating detailed visual content.
What makes this trend more noteworthy is the accessibility and popularity of such tools. Nano Banana, developed by Google, has quickly become a favorite for those looking to create high-quality 3D images effortlessly. Its growing popularity isn’t limited to tech enthusiasts—it’s now being adopted by political figures and public personalities who see its value in enhancing digital presence and outreach.
The AI-generated image of Dr. Sawant has not only captured attention due to its visual appeal but also sparked conversations about the increasing role of technology in shaping public narratives. With captions calling him the ‘architect of progress’ and the ‘people’s hero,’ the photo campaign sends a strong message about visionary leadership, development, and the seamless blend of tradition and technology. The BJP has linked the visual representation to their broader agenda of shaping Goa’s future through infrastructure, education, and sustainability.
This wave of AI-generated content allows leaders like Dr. Pramod Sawant to connect with the public in new and innovative ways. By stepping into the world of AI-driven media, political figures are expanding their influence beyond traditional formats, engaging audiences who are increasingly active on digital platforms. In a world where visual impact matters more than ever, the Chief Minister’s viral AI portrait is a compelling symbol of this new era of tech-powered public engagement.
Written by Intern Queeny George M.H, Team Allycaral
The Department of Telecommunication (DoT), Ministry of Communications, Government of India, successfully hosted the annual Zonal Security Conference for the West Zone on 3rd September 2025 at Cavelossim, South Goa. Themed “Sashakt Sanchar, Abhinav Suraksha”, the conference brought together key stakeholders from the telecom industry, law enforcement agencies, and financial institutions to deliberate on the evolving landscape of telecom security and cyber coordination.
Dr. Neeraj Mittal, Secretary (Telecom) and Chairman of the Digital Communication Commission, delivered the keynote address at the inaugural session. In his remarks, he underscored the rising misuse of telecom resources in tandem with rapid technological and infrastructural growth. He highlighted the Department’s proactive efforts to bolster cyber resilience through collaborative platforms. One such significant initiative, the Sanchar Saathi portal, was praised for empowering citizens in the collective fight against telecom fraud. “Over 14 crore users have already benefitted from this initiative,” he noted.
The inaugural session also featured addresses by Shri R K Goyal, Special Director General, Maharashtra LSA, Ms Sunita Chandra, Director General (Telecom), Ms Shubha Bhambhani, Additional Director General (Telecom), Shri Deb Kumar Chakrabarti, Member (Security), DoT, and Shri An Khare, Advisor (Operations), DoT. Over 100 representatives from Central Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs), Licensed Service Areas (LSAs) of West Zone states and union territories, along with officials from telecom service providers and financial institutions, participated in the conference.
Throughout the day, the event hosted several focused sessions covering a range of critical topics, including telecom supply chain security, cyber crime prevention, and the strategic use of telecom network intelligence by enforcement agencies. The discussions highlighted the need for continued collaboration and technological innovation to safeguard the nation’s digital infrastructure.
