SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure | SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
Institutions: Ministry of Communications | Department of Telecommunications (DoT) | BSNL
The Ministry of Communications, has highlighted the financial and technological transformation of the telecom sector, asserting that 2024–2025 has been a “Year of Reform, Connectivity and Global Recognition”. The most significant financial milestone was the operational profitability of BSNL after 18 years, with the state-owned entity recording operational profits of ₹262 crore in Q3 and ₹280 crore in Q4 of FY2024-25. BSNL’s EBITDA jumped threefold to ₹5,395 crore, and its losses were significantly reduced from ₹5,400 crore to ₹2,400 crore, confirming the success of the government’s financial revival plan.
This profound national transformation is underpinned by key governance and technological achievements. The deployment of the fully indigenous 4G stack placed India among an elite group of nations capable of developing its own end-to-end telecom technology. Furthermore, bureaucratic hurdles were slashed through a single-window clearance portal, which cut the average Right-of-Way approval time from 448 days in 2019 to just 33 days in 2025. The Ministry has also enforced accountability by treating every Chief General Manager at BSNL as a CEO of their circle, setting and reviewing quarterly targets to ensure sustained performance.
BSNL’s operational profitability, coupled with the success of the indigenous 4G stack, validates the government’s policy of strategically using financial revival and technological self-reliance (Aatmanirbharta) within state-owned enterprises to expand universal connectivity and bolster digital security across the nation.
What is EBITDA?→ EBITDA stands for Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization. It is a key financial metric used to evaluate a company’s operational performance, showing the profitability generated solely from its core business activities before the impact of financing, accounting decisions, or taxes. BSNL’s threefold jump in EBITDA to ₹5,395 crore indicates a strong turnaround in its core operational health.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: What specific financial and market policies will the DoT implement to ensure BSNL’s continued operational profitability beyond FY2025?
Follow the full news here: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2180441