India’s telecommunications sector recorded significant progress in 2025, marked by rapid 5G expansion, sharp growth in internet penetration, and major strides toward technological self-reliance, according to the Year-End Review released by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) on Friday.
The DoT said 5G services have now been rolled out across all States and Union Territories, covering 99.9 per cent of districts and reaching nearly 85 per cent of the population.
Telecom service providers have installed more than 5.08 lakh 5G Base Transceiver Stations nationwide, strengthening high-speed connectivity and supporting India’s digital economy.
Internet connectivity crossed a historic milestone in 2025, with total connections surpassing 100 crore, compared to just over 25 crore in 2014.
Broadband connections rose sharply to nearly 100 crore, while average monthly data consumption per wireless user increased to 24.01 GB, among the highest globally.
The median mobile broadband download speed also surged to over 131 Mbps by October 2025, reflecting improvements in network quality.
The review highlighted strong growth in rural connectivity, with rural telephone connections rising by nearly 43 per cent since 2014, almost double the growth rate in urban areas.
Overall tele-density improved to 86.65 per cent, underlining progress toward inclusive digital access.
A major focus during the year was strengthening cybersecurity and citizen protection. The DoT’s Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI), integrated with banking systems, helped generate alerts for over 70 lakh fraudulent transactions, preventing losses of around Rs 450 crore.
The Sanchar Saathi initiative also played a key role in tracing lost or stolen handsets and blocking fraud-linked devices, enhancing consumer trust in telecom services.
On the technology front, India achieved a milestone by becoming the world’s fifth country to develop an indigenous 4G stack, deployed by BSNL and designed to be upgradeable to 5G.
The government also reported steady progress under the Bharat 6G Mission, positioning India as a future global leader in next-generation communication technologies.
The DoT said reforms under the Telecommunications Act, 2023, alongside infrastructure expansion, disaster-resilient networks, and production-linked incentives for domestic manufacturing, have collectively reinforced India’s position as a global digital powerhouse.