BSNL seeks ₹75,000 crore for 4G and 5G expansion
BSNL plans to seek ₹75,000 crore separately from the Finance Ministry for 4G tower expansion, 5G rollout and network upgrades. The proposal follows ₹3.29 lakh crore of earlier revival support and ₹6,982 crore of capex assistance approved in 2025.
pre-market1 source ↓machine-written, see hownot a recommendation
- from the Finance
- ₹75,000 crore capex request
- to improve network
- 3.5 lakh 4G towers
- worth a combined
- ₹3.29 lakh crore
State-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited plans to seek ₹75,000 crore capex request from the Finance Ministry to expand its network, accelerate 5G deployment and improve connectivity across India. The proposed funding would be sought separately from the regular Budget allocation and has not yet been approved. 📡
The funding is intended to strengthen infrastructure, improve service quality and help the loss-making operator move towards operational breakeven. A Department of Telecommunications official said BSNL needs at least 3.5 lakh 4G towers to improve network coverage, implying a substantial multi-year investment requirement. The proposal therefore combines network expansion with a broader effort to improve the operator’s competitiveness in India’s telecom sector.
Key points:
• The proposed amount is ₹75,000 crore and would be placed separately before the Finance Ministry.
• The plan targets 4G tower expansion, faster 5G rollout and improved nationwide connectivity.
• BSNL has already received three government revival packages worth a combined ₹3.29 lakh crore, approved in 2019, 2022 and 2023.
• The government separately approved ₹6,982 crore of additional capital expenditure support in 2025.
The request matters for the telecom and network-infrastructure ecosystem because additional public funding could increase the scale and timing of equipment deployment, tower construction and related connectivity work. However, the immediate market implication remains dependent on government approval, the final allocation and the implementation schedule. BSNL itself is not listed on Indian stock exchanges, so the announcement does not create a direct listed-equity reaction in the operator.
Traders will watch for the Finance Ministry’s decision, the amount ultimately sanctioned and any formal DoT or government communication on the 4G tower programme. The next material indicators will be tender announcements, procurement timelines, 5G rollout milestones and evidence of improving service quality or operating performance. The proposal follows earlier revival measures and the separate 2025 capex support, making execution and operational breakeven the key tests for the latest funding demand. ⚖️
Source: The New Indian Express, 26 Oct 2026
Not investment advice. For informational purposes only.