On Thursday, October 8, 2026, PM Modi said the mobile phone in India “has today become both a Gaming console and a creation studio.” He said it while opening the 10th India Mobile Congress (IMC 2026) at Yashobhoomi in New Delhi. In the same speech he estimated that more than 500 million people in India are connected to gaming in some form.
Gaming doesn’t usually come up when a Prime Minister speaks at a telecom show. This time it did. He linked it directly to young players and creators who live outside the big metros.
What PM Modi Said About Gaming at India Mobile Congress 2026
Modi began by saying the phone is now much more than a calling device. “The mobile phone is no longer merely a means of communication or chatting,” he said, as reported by ANI.
Then he moved to gaming. He said young people from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities are active in gaming, esports, gaming content creation and gaming businesses. That led into the line now in every headline: “In other words, in India, the mobile phone has today become both a Gaming console and a creation studio.”
The four-day India Mobile Congress is run by the Department of Telecommunications and the Cellular Operators Association of India. This year’s theme is “Scale Without Boundaries.” Organisers expect more than 1.5 lakh visitors from over 100 countries.
Key Numbers From PM Modi’s IMC 2026 Speech
The gaming remark was one part of a longer speech about India’s digital growth. These are the figures he gave:
| Topic | Figure Modi Cited |
|---|---|
| People connected to gaming in India | More than 500 million |
| 5G coverage | Every district in the country |
| 5G base stations | More than 5.5 lakh |
| Mobile internet speed | About 10 times faster than in 2022 |
| Direct Benefit Transfer via mobile | Rs 50 lakh crore transferred, about Rs 5 lakh crore saved |
| PM-KISAN payments to farmers | More than Rs 4 lakh crore |
Why Tier 2 and Tier 3 Cities Matter for Indian Gaming
For esports, the most useful part of the speech is what he said about smaller cities. Most competitive gaming in India happens on mobile titles like BGMI and Free Fire MAX. Those games run on the same low-cost phones Modi called affordable.
The results are visible at the top level. Godlike Esports and Orangutan both made the PUBG Mobile World Cup 2026 Grand Finals this year. Creators work the same way: a player in Indore or Guwahati can record, edit and upload a stream from one phone. That covers the “creation studio” half of the quote.
How 5G and Cheap Data Changed Mobile Gaming in India
Modi reminded the audience that 5G launched at IMC 2022. Four years later, he said, it reaches every district and runs on more than 5.5 lakh base stations.
For players, faster mobile internet makes big game updates quicker to download and makes ping in online matches more stable. Coverage is uneven, though. Having 5G in every district doesn’t mean every village gets a strong signal, and lag is still a common complaint in rural areas.
Phones are less of a barrier now. All five phones in our guide to budget gaming phones for BGMI support 5G and cost between ₹13,999 and ₹14,999.
Where Esports Stands Under India’s Online Gaming Rules
The speech didn’t mention gaming law. Still, every gamer Modi talked about plays under it. The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming (PROG) Act, 2025 bans online money games. Its rules, notified by MeitY, came into force on May 1, 2026, according to this explainer on the PROG Rules 2026.
| Game Type | Status Under PROG Rules 2026 |
|---|---|
| Esports | Must register to get recognition. Certificate valid for up to 10 years |
| Online social games | Must register only if the Centre notifies them |
| Online money games | Fully banned, including ads and payments |
| Regulator | Online Gaming Authority of India (OGAI), an attached office of MeitY |
Earlier this year we reported on how the government softened the draft rules after industry feedback. In March 2026, KRAFTON India also signed a memorandum with DPIIT to support gaming, esports and AI startups, which shows the same interest from the government.
What the IMC 2026 Speech Did Not Announce
There was no new scheme, fund or esports program attached to the gaming remarks. What the speech gives is a figure and a clear position: the government counts more than 500 million gamers and sees the phone as the main gaming device.
Two other points in the speech affect creators directly. Modi called deepfakes “such a big challenge” and asked for a global framework to deal with them. He also said phone and network security are priorities “for us all.” Streamers whose face and voice are online every day have reason to watch both.
FAQs
What did PM Modi say about gaming at IMC 2026?
At the 10th India Mobile Congress on October 8, 2026, PM Modi said the mobile phone in India has become “both a Gaming console and a creation studio.” He also said youth from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities are active in gaming, esports, content creation and gaming businesses.
How many gamers are there in India, according to PM Modi?
PM Modi estimated that more than 500 million people in India are connected to gaming in some form, and many of them are young. He gave this figure during his IMC 2026 opening speech in New Delhi.
When and where is India Mobile Congress 2026?
IMC 2026 opened on October 8, 2026, at Yashobhoomi in New Delhi. It is a four-day event with the theme “Scale Without Boundaries,” organised by the Department of Telecommunications and the Cellular Operators Association of India.
Is esports legal in India under the Online Gaming Act?
Yes. The PROG Act, 2025 recognises esports, and the PROG Rules 2026, in force since May 1, 2026, require esports titles to register for recognition. Online money games are fully banned and can’t be registered as esports.
Did the government announce a new gaming policy at IMC 2026?
No. PM Modi’s gaming remarks recognised the size of the sector but came without a new scheme, fund or esports policy. The current rules for gaming are still the PROG Act, 2025 and the PROG Rules 2026.
