New Delhi, Feb 25 (AHN) As new technologies redefine the communications landscape, it is essential that we put in place the right regulatory guardrails to foster innovation while preserving fairness, transparency and public interest, Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Wednesday.

Congratulating the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on its 29th Foundation Day, the minister underscored its role as a bedrock institution ensuring fairness, equity, and a level playing field across India’s communications ecosystem.

He also highlighted the rapid evolution from 4G to 5G, the advent of 6G and Artificial Intelligence, appreciating the fact that a technical discussion on network slicing was included in the technical discourse of the day.

TRAI Chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti reflected on the Authority’s role as a regulatory institution ensuring a level playing field and orderly growth across India’s telecom and broadcasting sectors.

He highlighted how connectivity today spans fixed line, mobile, optical fibre and satellite networks, enabling services across the country.

"Technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, 5G, and future 6G networks are redefining network architecture and service delivery. As these systems evolve, it is essential that our regulatory frameworks remain adaptive and transparent, ensuring fairness, accountability and the protection of consumer interest while enabling innovation," he stated.

TRAI Secretary Atul Kumar Chaudhary recalled the establishment of the Authority in 1997 during India’s transition to a competitive telecom market, highlighting the importance of an independent regulator in ensuring fair play, orderly growth and protection of consumer interests.

The Authority commemorated ‘TRAI Day 2026’, marking 29 years of the establishment of the TRAI on February 20, 1997. The celebration combined reflections of outstanding work done by TRAI in shaping the Telecommunication and broadcasting landscape in all these years.

Chaudhary underscored the continued relevance of television as a widely accessible medium, particularly in rural and semi-urban regions, and emphasised that universal access to broadcasting remains integral to social inclusion.

He also noted the rapid evolution of telecom technologies, including network slicing, and stressed the need to preserve openness and adhere to the principles of net neutrality as advanced capabilities are deployed.

Members also reflected on TRAI’s evolving regulatory philosophy and its institutional role in steering India’s communications ecosystem through successive technological transitions.