IMC 2026 to be held in New Delhi from October 7–10 with participation from over 100 countries and expanded collaboration with GSMA.
Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, India’s Minister for Communications and Development of the North Eastern Region, announced the 10th edition of India Mobile Congress (IMC 2026) during the global telecom gathering Mobile World Congress Barcelona. The event is scheduled to take place from October 7 to October 10, 2026, in New Delhi, India, and is expected to attract participants from more than 100 countries.
Organised by the Department of Telecommunications (India), part of the Ministry of Communications (India), along with the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), IMC has grown into Asia’s largest digital technology forum. The 2026 edition will bring together policymakers, global telecom operators, technology companies, startups, investors and industry leaders to discuss the future of digital connectivity and emerging technologies.
As part of expanded international collaboration, the GSMA Board will participate in IMC 2026, further strengthening the event’s global reach and industry engagement.
IMC and GSMA Sign Strategic MoU
Alongside the announcement, IMC and GSMA signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening strategic collaboration and enhancing the international profile of IMC 2026. The partnership will focus on increasing global participation, aligning industry discussions with emerging telecom priorities and creating opportunities for cross-border collaboration.
The agreement will support high-level leadership engagements, including participation from global CEOs and board members, while facilitating knowledge exchange and discussions on next-generation telecom technologies, digital infrastructure and connectivity frameworks.
India’s Growing Role in the Global Telecom Ecosystem
Speaking at the announcement, Scindia highlighted India’s rapid transformation into one of the world’s leading telecom markets. He noted that India is now the second-largest telecom market globally, connecting more than 1.2 billion people, and has achieved the fastest rollout of 5G networks worldwide.
He also emphasized that mobile data consumption in India has increased nearly 400 times over the past decade, while the country has developed its own indigenous cloud-native 4G technology stack, which can be upgraded to 5G. According to the minister, these developments position India not only as a consumer of advanced telecom networks but also as a global developer of telecom technologies and digital platforms.
Scindia added that as India completes a decade of telecom transformation, the 10th edition of India Mobile Congress will showcase innovations in AI-native networks, smart industries, sovereign digital platforms, startup innovation and international partnerships.
Expected Participation and Technology Focus Areas
IMC 2026 is expected to attract more than 150,000 attendees, with participation from over 300 exhibitors and partners and demonstrations of more than 1,500 technology use cases.
The event will highlight innovations across several advanced technology domains, including 5G and emerging 6G networks, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, electronics manufacturing, quantum computing, cybersecurity, satellite communications, deep-tech innovation, clean technology, smart mobility, Industry 4.0 and enterprise digital transformation.
Julian Gorman, Head of Asia Pacific at GSMA, said India has firmly established itself as a global telecom leader, driven by the scale and speed of its 5G rollout and its growing focus on technologies such as AI and 6G.
He added that GSMA’s enhanced role in India Mobile Congress 2026 will bring together its global network of telecom operators and industry leaders to deepen collaboration and reinforce India’s position at the center of the global digital ecosystem.
Abhijit Kishore, Chairman of the Cellular Operators Association of India, said that since its launch in 2017, India Mobile Congress has served as an important platform for dialogue, collaboration and innovation, highlighting the role of connectivity and technology in nation-building.
Startup Innovation Through the ASPIRE Program
The ASPIRE startup initiative at IMC is expected to host more than 400 startups, along with over 300 investors, venture capital firms, incubators and accelerators. The program will include more than 700 one-on-one investor meetings, mentorship workshops, live startup pitches, networking opportunities and partnership discussions.
As IMC celebrates its 10th anniversary, the 2026 edition aims to further strengthen its role as a global technology platform by focusing on deployment-ready technologies, stronger industry partnerships and improved startup-to-market connections.
The previous edition of India Mobile Congress, held in October 2025, attracted over 150,000 attendees, with participation from more than 400 partners and exhibitors across 100 countries. The event featured over 1,600 technology use cases and hosted more than 100 sessions with over 800 global and Indian speakers, highlighting the rapid growth of the forum as a global digital technology platform.
