Beyond 6G Dreams: How IMC 2025 is Forging a Human-Centric Tech Future for India 

At the India Mobile Congress 2025, the narrative shifted from merely showcasing technological prowess to presenting a cohesive blueprint for a human-centric digital India, where companies like Jio focused on radical inclusion through its ultra-affordable ‘Safety-First’ Bharat phone and free AI education, Vodafone Idea emphasized “Human-novations” by skilling workers and artisans, Ericsson demonstrated 5G’s public utility via grain ATMs and robotic rail inspections, and MediaTek fueled the premium ecosystem with its advanced chips—collectively signaling a mature national strategy where connectivity and AI are not ends in themselves but foundational tools for solving core challenges in security, education, employment, and public welfare.

Beyond 6G Dreams: How IMC 2025 is Forging a Human-Centric Tech Future for India 

The India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2025 is more than just a technology exhibition; it’s a vibrant, pulsating snapshot of a nation’s ambition. Held in New Delhi from October 8-11, the event transcends its role as a mere showcase for sleek smartphones and futuristic concepts. Instead, it has positioned itself as the definitive crucible where India’s digital destiny is being shaped. This year, the narrative moved beyond the raw speed of 5G or the distant promise of 6G, focusing on a more profound question: How can technology tangibly solve India’s unique, large-scale challenges? 

The announcements from industry giants like Reliance Jio, Vodafone Idea (Vi), Ericsson, and MediaTek weren’t just product launches; they were chapters in a larger story of national transformation. They revealed a collective vision for a future where technology is not a luxury for the elite, but a foundational tool for empowerment, education, and economic growth for every citizen. 

Jio’s Masterclass in Digital Inclusion: Bridging the Last Mile 

While much of the tech world is obsessed with the next foldable screen or AI-generated art, Jio made a powerful statement by focusing on the next hundred million users. Their strategy at IMC 2025 was a masterclass in serving the base of the pyramid, proving that true innovation often lies in accessibility. 

The JioBharat Phone: A Guardian in Your Pocket 

The launch of the new ‘Safety-First’ JioBharat phone at ₹799 is a strategic move with profound social implications. In a market flooded with expensive smartphones, Jio is doubling down on the feature phone segment, but with a smart, modern twist. 

• Family as a Service (FaaS): The “Safety-First” features aren’t just gimmicks; they are carefully crafted solutions for universal Indian family concerns. The ability to track the location of children or elderly parents addresses a deep-seated need for security in a rapidly urbanizing society. The call-blocking feature isn’t just about spam; it’s about giving women and seniors control over their communication, shielding them from harassment. 

• Battery Life as a Core Feature: Highlighting a seven-day battery life isn’t a minor spec point. For households with unreliable electricity or for users like delivery personnel and migrant workers, this is a critical utility. It ensures connectivity isn’t broken, making the device a “reliable companion” in the truest sense. 

• Intentional Exclusion: The phone’s design, which “helps children stay connected without social media,” is a deliberate and insightful choice. It acknowledges the growing concern over digital addiction and screen time for young minds, offering parents a guilt-free gateway to connectivity. 

By sharing real-life testimonials, Jio effectively demonstrated that the JioBharat is not just a phone; it’s a tool for familial peace of mind, making technology feel less alien and more like a protective member of the family. 

Democratizing AI: The Classroom Without Walls 

Perhaps even more ambitious than its hardware is Jio’s launch of the AI Classroom–Foundation Course. In a world where AI expertise is becoming a key differentiator, Jio is attempting to prevent a new digital divide from forming. 

• Accessibility is Key: By making the course free and accessible not only on PCs but also on Jio Set-Top Boxes, Jio is leveraging its existing ecosystem to reach living rooms across the country. This bypasses the need for expensive hardware, bringing foundational AI education to demographics that traditional online courses would miss. 

• Building a Future-Ready Workforce: This isn’t just about literacy; it’s about creation. The four-week structure with practical exercises and a final project is designed to move users from consumers of technology to creators. This initiative, in partnership with Jio Institute, signals a long-term commitment to building India’s AI talent pipeline from the ground up. 

Vodafone Idea’s “Human-novation”: Technology with a Local Heart 

After a period of challenges, Vi’s presence at IMC 2025 was a strong statement of intent. Their theme, ‘Advantage India with Human-novations,’ cleverly positioned technology not as a replacement for humanity, but as its amplifier. 

• Skilling at Scale: The AI-based learning platform for Skill India addresses one of the nation’s most pressing issues: employability. The promise of delivering job-ready skills “quickly and at scale” is exactly the kind of application India needs to harness its demographic dividend. 

• Vocal for Local, Powered by AI: This was a standout concept. An AI platform for artisans to modernize traditional crafts is a perfect fusion of heritage and cutting-edge technology. It can help artisans with design trends, pricing, marketing, and global reach, potentially revitalizing entire local economies and preserving cultural heritage. 

• Making Tech Education Tangible: The Vi Roborocks challenge is a brilliant grassroots initiative. By having students build and race robots, they are demystifying robotics and AI, transforming them from abstract concepts into hands-on, exciting experiences. This focus on government schools is crucial for sowing the seeds of innovation across all sections of society. 

Ericsson’s 5G for Public Good: Solving Real-World Problems 

Ericsson’s booth moved beyond network infrastructure to showcase 5G as the backbone of critical public services. Their demos were powerful illustrations of how latency and speed can translate into social impact. 

• The Grain ATM (Annapurti): This is a quintessential “India-first” innovation. By integrating 5G with Aadhaar biometrics, Ericsson and the World Food Programme have created a system that dispenses dignity alongside food grains. The 30-second transaction time reduces queues, minimizes leakage, and empowers beneficiaries under the One Nation One Ration Card scheme. This is 5G directly contributing to food security. 

• The Robotic Dog for Rail Safety: This application showcases 5G’s high bandwidth and low latency. Automating dangerous and tedious inspection tasks with an AI-powered robot not only improves efficiency but also saves human lives. The real-time data transmission ensures that defects are caught instantly, preventing potential accidents on one of the world’s largest rail networks. 

MediaTek: Fueling the Premium Ecosystem from Within 

MediaTek’s announcements were a reminder that a vibrant tech ecosystem needs cutting-edge components. Their partnership with TSMC for a new flagship chip using the N2P process signals a commitment to staying at the forefront of semiconductor technology. 

The launch of the Dimensity 9500 chipset is significant because it powers the devices at the top of the food chain—the premium 5G smartphones. By enabling features like on-device 4K image generation and console-level gaming graphics, MediaTek isn’t just making faster phones; it’s enabling new forms of mobile entertainment, creativity, and productivity. This, in turn, raises the bar for the entire industry and gives Indian consumers access to world-class technology. 

The Unspoken Consensus: A Connected India is an Empowered India 

The underlying thread connecting every showcase at IMC 2025 was a shared vision of connectivity as a fundamental right. Whether it’s Jio connecting families and students, Vi skilling artisans and children, or Ericsson ensuring food security and public safety, the core enabler is a robust, pervasive, and intelligent network. 

The event showcased a mature evolution in India’s tech journey. The conversation has moved from “What can we build?” to “Who can we empower?” The innovations presented were not designed for a generic global audience but were deeply contextualized for Indian realities—its families, its students, its artisans, and its massive public infrastructure. 

As the curtains fall on IMC 2025, the message is clear: The future of Indian tech is not just about being faster or smarter. It’s about being more inclusive, more humane, and relentlessly focused on building a nation where technology leaves no one behind. The blueprint is now on display; the construction is underway.