India’s 5G reaches 86% of population; 1 billion users target by 2030
Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia announces India's 5G network covers 86% of the population, with a goal to reach 1 billion users by 2030.
India is witnessing a massive leap in digital connectivity, with the nation's 5G network now covering 86 per cent of the population. Speaking at the Kautilya Economic Conclave in Delhi on Monday, Union Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia revealed that the country has achieved one of the fastest 5G expansions globally, reaching nearly 99.9 per cent of all districts.
Currently, close to 500 million customers are utilizing 5G services. However, the government is not resting on its laurels. Minister Scindia announced an ambitious roadmap to double this figure, setting a target to reach 1 billion 5G customers by the year 2030.
The Fastest Global Rollout
The scale of the deployment has been unprecedented. According to the Minister, the transition to 5G has happened with remarkable speed, securing half a billion users in just a two-year window. This expansion is viewed as a cornerstone for the nation's digital future.
Scindia emphasized that 5G is much more than just faster mobile internet; it is the backbone of a new digital infrastructure. He noted that the network serves as a "digital highway" where data acts as the fuel for the burgeoning AI economy, capable of connecting machines, intelligence, and complex transactions.
A Massive Surge in Connectivity
The Minister provided a staggering look at how India's digital landscape has transformed over the last decade. The growth in connectivity highlights the shift toward a fully digital society:
- Broadband Connections: Grown from 60 million people in 2014 to over 1 billion today.
- Internet Connectivity: Increased from 250 million people to nearly 1.2 billion.
- Mobile Subscribers: India now boasts a total of 1.35 billion mobile subscribers.
Digital Finance and the UPI Revolution
This connectivity boom is directly fueling the expansion of digital financial services. The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has seen astronomical growth. From its humble beginnings with just 21 banks and 90,000 monthly transactions, the platform now supports more than 740 banks.
In the 2025-26 fiscal year, UPI statistics showcased the sheer volume of the digital economy:
- Monthly Transactions: Averaging 20 billion.
- Annual Transactions: Reaching 260 billion.
- Transaction Value: Totaling USD 3.4 trillion.
The Future: AI and Digital Security
Looking ahead, the government aims to merge telecom networks with advanced computing and Artificial Intelligence. The India AI Mission is already in motion, backed by a corpus of nearly Rs 10,000 crore. This mission is working to assemble:
- 38,000 GPUs
- 14 cloud partners
- 7,500 data sets
- Over 250 AI models
As the digital footprint expands, Minister Scindia also issued a call for heightened vigilance regarding cybersecurity. He stressed that as transactions become more frequent, India must evolve its security protocols, moving from merely detecting fraud after it occurs to anticipating risks before any money moves.