India targets 1 billion 5G users by 2030, up from 550 million: Scindia at IMC 2026
- IBEF
- October 9, 2026
India is accelerating its digital connectivity and telecommunications capabilities, with the country targeting an increase in its 5G user base from 550 million to 1 billion by 2030 and positioning itself to lead the global 6G ecosystem. Mr. Jyotiraditya Scindia, Minister for Communications, announced the target while inaugurating the 10th edition of India Mobile Congress 2026. India’s 5G technology has emerged as the fastest adopted 5G technology globally, while the Bharat 6G Alliance has brought together 90 institutions and established 7,700 patents, including 4,400 international patents. Mr. Jyotiraditya Scindia, Minister for Communications, highlighted India’s transition from being behind the world in 4G to progressing alongside the global ecosystem in 5G and aiming to lead in 6G. The International Telecommunication Union Council has also accepted India’s proposal to host the Plenipotentiary Conference in 2030. India hosted the World Telecommunication Standardisation Assembly in 2024 for the first time, which was also the largest such assembly held outside Geneva in the history of the International Telecommunication Union.
India’s digital infrastructure has expanded significantly since the first India Mobile Congress in 2017, with broadband customers increasing from 60 million to more than 1.1 billion and mobile customers reaching 1.35 billion. The cost of 1 GB of data has declined from Rs. 268 in 2014 to Rs. 8, supporting wider digital adoption. Unified Payments Interface processes transactions worth Rs. 323.17 lakh crore (US$ 3.4 trillion) annually, while the BharatNet programme is backed by Rs. 1.43 lakh crore (US$ 15 billion) in government funding to expand connectivity across gram panchayats and villages. India’s mobile phone industry has expanded from Rs. 12,228–18,342 crore (US$ 2–3 billion) in 2014 to Rs. 5.99 lakh crore (US$ 63 billion) currently, making India the world’s second-largest mobile phone producer. Mobile phone exports have reached nearly Rs. 2.76 lakh crore (US$ 29 billion), highlighting the growing strength of India’s electronics manufacturing ecosystem and its increasing integration with global markets.
Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.
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