In financial year 2025, the total number of internet connections in India reached *** million. The connectivity has more than tripled since 2015, in comparison to ****** million connections. Although around ***percent of India's population lives in rural areas, the number of connections remains higher in urban areas compared to rural areas. In 2025, there were ***** million internet connections in urban areas.

India’s digital adoption has been driven by the rural heartland of the country, registering a high growth of internet users compared to their urban counterparts. In 2024, there were *** million internet users in rural India, accounting for more than half the country's netizens. Bridging the internet gap This jump in rural internet penetration was largely owing to the increased availability of bandwidth, cheap data plans, and various government initiatives under the Digital India campaign. As of 2022, over *** thousand village and small-town councils, called Gram Panchayats, were equipped with internet access across India. Of these, Uttar Pradesh had the maximum connectivity in its rural areas with ** thousand internet-equipped gram panchayats. These factors also led to an overall spike in the internet penetration rates across the country. From just over a ** percent internet penetration rate in 2015, India reached almost ** percent in 2022. A perspective on the numbers Although these figures seem relatively low, it indicated that about *** million would be internet users by January 2023. This ranked India second in terms of active internet users across the world that same year.

High Frequency Indicator: The dataset contains year-, quarter- and state-wise compiled data from the year 2014 to till date on the total number of broadband and narrowband internet subscribers in the rural and urban areas of India

As of 2020, according to a survey, a majority of India's internet users were male and in rural areas. Around ** percent of rural internet users were male while only ** percent of rural users were female that year. In comparison, there were more female internet users in urban areas with a share of ** percent and ** percent were urban male users.

Internet in India began in 1986 and was available only to the educational and research community. General public access to the internet began on 15 August 1995, and as of 2020 there are 718.74 million active internet users that comprise 54.29% of the population.[1]

As of May 2014, the Internet is delivered to India mainly by 9 different undersea fibres, including SEA-ME-WE 3, Bay of Bengal Gateway and Europe India Gateway, arriving at 5 different landing points.[2] India also has one overland internet connection, at the city of Agartala near the border with Bangladesh.[3]

The Indian Government has embarked on projects such as BharatNet, Digital India, Brand India and Startup India to further expedite the growth of internet-based ecosystems.

The internet penetration rate in India rose over ** percent in 2025, from about ** percent in 2015. Although these figures seem relatively low, it meant that more than half of the population of **** billion people had internet access that year. This also ranked the country second in the world in terms of active internet users. Internet availability and accessibility By 2021, the number of internet connections across the country tripled, with urban areas accounting for a higher density of connections than rural regions. Despite incredibly low internet prices, internet usage in India has yet to reach its full potential. Lack of awareness and a tangible gender gap lie at the heart of the matter, with affordable mobile handsets and mobile internet connections presenting only a partial solution. Reliance Jio was the popular choice among Indian internet subscribers, offering them wider coverage at cheap rates. Digital living Home to one of the largest bases of netizens in the world, India is abuzz with internet activities being carried out every moment of every day. From information and research to shopping and entertainment to living in smart homes, Indians have welcomed digital living with open arms. Among these, social media usage was one of the most common reasons for accessing the internet.

Internet Subscribers (Urban vs Rural) refers to the distribution of internet users in India based on their geographic location. Urban subscribers are those living in cities and towns with relatively better network infrastructure, higher broadband penetration, and greater access to digital services. Rural subscribers are located in villages and remote areas, where connectivity often depends on mobile internet and may face challenges like limited network coverage, lower broadband speeds, and affordability issues. This classification helps assess how internet access is spread across different regions of the country. The urban–rural internet subscriber ratio is a critical indicator of the digital divide in India. A higher concentration of urban subscribers reflects the disparity in infrastructure, affordability, and digital literacy between urban and rural areas. Closing this gap is essential for ensuring inclusive growth, enabling rural populations to benefit from e-governance, digital payments, telemedicine, online education, and market access. Tracking these figures helps policymakers and telecom operators design targeted interventions—such as BharatNet and rural 4G/5G rollouts—to improve connectivity in underserved areas. Balanced internet penetration supports socio-economic development, bridges inequalities, and strengthens India’s vision of a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy.

As per the results of a large scale media survey across India in 2019, it was found that a majority of rural internet users in the country accessed internet from their homes. Only around ** to ** percent of the users accessed internet while travelling or while at work. This was similar to the urban internet usage that year.

As per the results of a large scale survey across India in 2019, it was found that a majority of rural internet users in the country used the internet everyday. ** percent of the users accessed internet less than once a week, while four percent of users went online four to five days a week.

Dataset

This dataset was created by Youssef Salama

Released under CC0: Public Domain

Contents

Discover the booming Indian broadband satellite internet market forecast for 2029. This in-depth analysis reveals projected market size, growth drivers, challenges, and key players, offering valuable insights for investors and businesses. Explore the potential of satellite internet to bridge the digital divide in India.

This data contains all the essential data in the form of % with respect to rural and urban Indian states . This dataset is highly accurate as this is taken from the Indian govt. it is updated till 2021 for all states and union territories. source of data is data.gov.in titled - ******All India and State/UT-wise Factsheets of National Family Health Survey******

it is advised to you pls search the data keywords you need by using (Ctrl+f) , as it will help to avoid time wastage. States/UTs

Different columns it contains are Area

Number of Households surveyed Number of Women age 15-49 years interviewed Number of Men age 15-54 years interviewed

Female population age 6 years and above who ever attended school (%)

Population below age 15 years (%)

Sex ratio of the total population (females per 1,000 males)

Sex ratio at birth for children born in the last five years (females per 1,000 males)

Children under age 5 years whose birth was registered with the civil authority (%)

Deaths in the last 3 years registered with the civil authority (%)

Population living in households with electricity (%)

Population living in households with an improved drinking-water source1 (%)

Population living in households that use an improved sanitation facility2 (%)

Households using clean fuel for cooking3 (%) Households using iodized salt (%)

Households with any usual member covered under a health insurance/financing scheme (%)

Children age 5 years who attended pre-primary school during the school year 2019-20 (%)

Women (age 15-49) who are literate4 (%)

Men (age 15-49) who are literate4 (%)

Women (age 15-49) with 10 or more years of schooling (%)

Men (age 15-49) with 10 or more years of schooling (%)

Women (age 15-49) who have ever used the internet (%)

Men (age 15-49) who have ever used the internet (%)

Women age 20-24 years married before age 18 years (%)

Men age 25-29 years married before age 21 years (%)

Total Fertility Rate (number of children per woman) Women age 15-19 years who were already mothers or pregnant at the time of the survey (%)

Adolescent fertility rate for women age 15-19 years5 Neonatal mortality rate (per 1000 live births)

Infant mortality rate (per 1000 live births) Under-five mortality rate (per 1000 live births)

Current Use of Family Planning Methods (Currently Married Women Age 15-49 years) - Any method6 (%)

Current Use of Family Planning Methods (Currently Married Women Age 15-49 years) - Any modern method6 (%)

Current Use of Family Planning Methods (Currently Married Women Age 15-49 years) - Female sterilization (%)

Current Use of Family Planning Methods (Currently Married Women Age 15-49 years) - Male sterilization (%)

Current Use of Family Planning Methods (Currently Married Women Age 15-49 years) - IUD/PPIUD (%)

Current Use of Family Planning Methods (Currently Married Women Age 15-49 years) - Pill (%)  

Current Use of Family Planning Methods (Currently Married Women Age 15-49 years) - Condom (%)

Current Use of Family Planning Methods (Currently Married Women Age 15-49 years) - Injectables (%)

Total Unmet need for Family Planning (Currently Married Women Age 15-49 years)7 (%)

Unmet need for spacing (Currently Married Women Age 15-49 years)7 (%)

Health worker ever talked to female non-users about family planning (%)

Current users ever told about side effects of current method of family planning8 (%)

Mothers who had an antenatal check-up in the first trimester (for last birth in the 5 years before the survey) (%)

Mothers who had at least 4 antenatal care visits (for last birth in the 5 years before the survey) (%)

Mothers whose last birth was protected against neonatal tetanus (for last birth in the 5 years before the survey)9 (%)

Mothers who consumed iron folic acid for 100 days or more when they were pregnant (for last birth in the 5 years before the survey) (%)

Mothers who consumed iron folic acid for 180 days or more when they were pregnant (for last birth in the 5 years before the survey} (%)

Registered pregnancies for which the mother received a Mother and Child Protection (MCP) card (for last birth in the 5 years before the survey) (%)

Mothers who received postnatal care from a doctor/nurse/LHV/ANM/midwife/other health personnel within 2 days of delivery (for last birth in the 5 years before the survey) (%)

Average out-of-pocket expenditure per delivery in a public health facility (for last birth in the 5 years before the survey) (Rs.)

Children born at home who were taken to a health facility for a check-up within 24 hours of birth (for last birth in the 5 years before the survey} (%)

Children who received postnatal care from a doctor/nurse/LHV/ANM/midwife/ other health personnel within 2 days of delivery (for last birth in the 5 years before the survey) (%)

Institutional births (in the 5...

As of 2021, India recorded a higher nationwide internet usage rate among men than women, at respectively **** percent of male population and **** percent of female population. The gender internet usage gap was also evident in rural India, with only one out of four women aged between 15 and 49 years having ever used the internet before, compared to just under ** percent of their male counterparts in the region.

The India Wireless Broadband Market size is XX, focusing on market trends, revenue analysis, and player insights. Explore sector segmentation, growth opportunities, and forecast analysis.

Internet usage through wireless networks refers to the consumption of data services via mobile networks and wireless broadband connections rather than fixed-line connections. This includes activities such as web browsing, video streaming, online gaming, social media usage, and other internet-based applications accessed through smartphones, tablets, and other wireless devices. In India, this type of internet access has become particularly significant due to the country's mobile-first approach to digital adoption.

India Internet Statistics: Number of Subscribers data was reported at 970,160,000.000 Unit in Dec 2024. This records a decrease from the previous number of 971,500,000.000 Unit for Sep 2024. India Internet Statistics: Number of Subscribers data is updated quarterly, averaging 665,310,000.000 Unit from Dec 2013 (Median) to Dec 2024, with 45 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 971,500,000.000 Unit in Sep 2024 and a record low of 238,710,000.000 Unit in Dec 2013. India Internet Statistics: Number of Subscribers data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. The data is categorized under Global Database’s India – Table IN.TE040: Internet Statistics: Number of Subscribers. Internet Subscribers: Total (series ID: 359243527) includes all the mode of access for Internet where includes Wired and Wireless which covers Fixed Wireless (Wi-Fi, Wi-Max, Point-to-Point Radio & VSAT) and Mobile Wireless (Phone + Dongle). [COVID-19-IMPACT]

Dataset

This dataset was created by Jayanth Kumar

Released under CC0: Public Domain

Contents

As of December 2023, the leading service area with the largest number internet subscribers in rural India was Bihar, with over ** million users. The total number of internet subscribers in rural India during the measured time period was over *** million.

The countries with the highest number of internet users as of January 2023 can be found here.

Discover the explosive growth potential of the Indian all-terrain 5G fixed wireless access market by 2029. This in-depth analysis reveals key market trends, drivers, restraints, and regional insights, projecting significant expansion fueled by 5G infrastructure development and the demand for high-speed internet in remote areas. Learn more about market size, CAGR, and key players.

India SpaceTech and Satellite Internet Market valued at USD 3.2 Bn, driven by satellite tech advancements, rural broadband demand, and government initiatives for digital infrastructure.