Parliament passes landmark digital infrastructure bill in late-night session

In a historic late-night sitting, both houses of Parliament cleared the Digital Infrastructure Act, committing the country to universal high-speed broadband, public Wi-Fi in every panchayat, and a national fibre backbone by 2028.

The bill, which sailed through with cross-party support after twelve hours of debate, allocates ₹1.8 lakh crore over four years and creates an independent Digital Connectivity Authority to oversee rollout, dispute resolution, and quality standards.

Industry groups welcomed the move, while opposition members flagged concerns about local procurement and data sovereignty clauses that will be detailed in the rules to follow.