India is now the 2nd largest 5G user with 400 million+ users globally
- IBEF
- January 19, 2026
India has become the second-largest 5G market globally, with more than 400 million 5G subscribers, second only to China, Union Minister of Communications Mr. Jyotiraditya Scindia stated. Since its launch in 2022, 5G networks now extend to 99.6% of the country’s districts and reach about 85% of the population, thanks to the installation of around 4.69 lakh 5G Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) by telecom companies, which is one of the fastest adoption rates in the world. The Union Minister of Communications, Mr. Jyotiraditya Scindia, said that about 25 crore people have adopted 5G services, which indicates a rapid change in the mobile ecosystem of India that is setting new global benchmarks in terms of size, speed, and digital change. The telephony in rural areas has also registered robust growth, with rural telephony up by 42.9%, almost double the growth in urban areas over the last decade. In another development, the total number of internet connections in India has now surpassed 100 crore, a phenomenal rise from 25.15 crore, which indicates widespread adoption of digital technology in the country.
In line with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, the launch of indigenous telecom infrastructure has picked up pace. India has emerged as the fifth country in the world to have its own 4G technology, which is upgradable to 5G, thus emphasizing its focus on being technologically self-reliant. The Union Minister of Communications, Mr. Jyotiraditya Scindia, also emphasized the progress made in indigenous research and development work through the ambitious ‘Bharat 6G Mission’.
Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.
Partners
