Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Wednesday credited the Narendra Modi-led government's strategic revival initiatives for bringing state-run telecom operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) back from the brink of collapse. Once deemed to be on "ventilator support" under the previous UPA regime, BSNL has now reported back-to-back quarterly profits after nearly two decades.
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Government's Revival Push Bears Fruit
“At one point, BSNL was not even on ventilator support but in a critically failing state. Prime Minister Modi made a strong resolve to bring BSNL back into full service for the country. Today, we are seeing the result of that commitment,” Scindia said in an interaction with IANS.
BSNL recorded a net profit of Rs 280 crore in the fourth quarter (January–March) of FY25, following a Rs 262 crore profit in the preceding quarter — marking its first consecutive profitable quarters in 18 years. The turnaround follows sustained government support and operational reforms within the company.
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BSNL is Thriving
Scindia attributed the revival to a combination of fiscal assistance and the dedication of BSNL’s workforce across the country — from ground-level technicians in remote villages to senior officials at its headquarters. "Their dedication and tireless efforts have made this possible. BSNL is no longer just surviving -- it is thriving," the Union Minister reportedly said.
The Union government had earlier sanctioned a series of financial revival packages for BSNL, cumulatively amounting to Rs 3 lakh crore. These efforts were aimed at modernising the public sector telecom firm and ensuring its competitiveness in the evolving digital landscape.
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Indigenous 4G Network Strategy
Central to BSNL's resurgence has been the aggressive push for self-reliant 4G expansion. Scindia reportedly said that India's first fully indigenous 4G network has now been implemented across the country. He revealed that nearly 95,000 sites have been installed nationwide, with 90,000 commissioned and over 74,000 currently live on the network.
"BSNL is now fully prepared to serve customers with a robust, indigenous 4G network. This is not just a revival, it's a reinvention of BSNL's role in India's digital future," Scindia added, as mentioned in the report.
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