PM Narendra Modi inaugurates IMC 2024, says India has democratised digital technology

The eighth edition of India Mobile Congress (IMC) begins today, October 15. It will be a four-day event and will conclude on October 18.

In Short

• IMC 2024 starts in Delhi with PM Modi inaugurating the event
• Modi highlights Digital India's holistic approach
• Event focuses on 5G, AI, and next-gen tech demos

India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2024 has kicked off today, October 15. This is the eighth edition of the annual tech event, which was inaugurated by prime minister Narendra Modi. At the event, Modi also inaugurated the World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA) 2024, which is organised by the International Telecommunication Union, a specialised agency of the United Nations. “India has democratised digital technology,” the prime minister says.

"In India, telecom is not just about connectivity but also about equity and opportunity. Ten years ago, when I had unveiled the vision of Digital India, I had said that we need to take a holistic approach. We had recognised four pillars of Digital India: lower prices of devices, make sure every corner of the country is digitally connected, make data accessible to everyone, make 'digital first' our goal," said the prime minister.

"WTSA aims to empower the whole word through consensus. India Mobile Congress aims to empower the world through connectivity. So, consensus and connectivity have been linked at this event. In today's conflict-ridden world, these two things are very important," he added.

IMC 2024 will be a four-day event, and will conclude on October 18. The event will take place at Pragati Maidan, and will see participation from some prominent players in the industry, including Xiaomi, Qualcomm, Reliance Jio, Ericsson, among others. The popular Meta RayBan XR glasses will also be showcased at IMC 2024.

The event will have some high-profile attendees, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will address the gathering on the opening day. Industry heavyweights like Jyotiraditya Scindia, Akash Ambani of Reliance Jio, Sunil Bharti Mittal of Bharti Enterprises, and Kumar M. Birla will also be present.

A key focus of the event will be 5G advancements, including practical AI use cases and next-gen technology demonstrations. Xiaomi and Snapdragon are set to announce a new partnership, aiming to integrate Snapdragon's latest chips into Xiaomi devices. This move is expected to enhance performance, especially in budget smartphones.

Qualcomm’s showcase will be a major attraction, emphasising the potential of on-device AI for improving both mobile experiences and industrial processes. The company will also push for broader 5G adoption, targeting increased accessibility across India. Visitors can look forward to demonstrations of Qualcomm's latest processors, including their 10-core, 12-core, and 8-core models, tailored for intensive computing needs.

An exciting part of Qualcomm’s exhibition is the demo of the Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses, powered by the Snapdragon AR1 Gen1 chip. These glasses promise to bring augmented reality into everyday life, offering features like real-time navigation, text translation, and immersive experiences. They highlight Qualcomm's vision for integrating wearables into the tech ecosystem.