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.

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.

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.

As of December 2024, the service area with the highest number density of internet subscribers was the nation's capital city, Delhi, which had nearly ****subscribers for every 100 inhabitants. The average number of internet subscribers per 100 population in India during the same period was around ****.

Context :

This dataset provides an overview of global internet users by country between 2021 and 2024, derived from the Wikipedia page "List of countries by number of Internet users." The data includes the total number of internet users in each country, the percentage of the population using the internet, and the population of each country as of 2021. The data was collected from reliable sources like household surveys and internet subscription statistics, providing valuable insights into global connectivity trends.

This dataset can be used to explore digital penetration rates, compare internet adoption by region, and analyze how internet usage has evolved across countries over time. The motivation behind this dataset is to contribute to research on digital inclusion and global technology access.

The number of mobile broadband connections per 100 inhabitants in India was forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2029 by in total **** connections (+***** percent). After the fourteenth consecutive increasing year, the mobile broadband penetration is estimated to reach ***** connections and therefore a new peak in 2029. Notably, the number of mobile broadband connections per 100 inhabitants of was continuously increasing over the past years.Mobile broadband connections include cellular connections with a download speed of at least *** kbit/s (without satellite or fixed-wireless connections). Cellular Internet-of-Things (IoT) or machine-to-machine (M2M) connections are excluded. The shown data are an excerpt of Statista's Key Market Indicators (KMI). The KMI are a collection of primary and secondary indicators on the macro-economic, demographic and technological environment in up to *** countries and regions worldwide. All indicators are sourced from international and national statistical offices, trade associations and the trade press and they are processed to generate comparable data sets (see supplementary notes under details for more information).Find more key insights for the number of mobile broadband connections per 100 inhabitants in countries like Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Dataset Information

1. Operator: Telecom service provider (TSP) or network operator.

2. Network: Generation of the network (e.g., 4G, 3G).

3. Type: Indicates whether the speed measurement is for download or upload.

4. KB/s: Speed in kilobytes per second.

5. Ping: Signal strength or ping information.

6. Circle: Licensed state or service area.

7. Month: The month in which the speed test was conducted.

8. Year: The year in which the speed test was conducted.

Notes:

• "NA" or "Not Available" may indicate insufficient samples or an inability to capture signal level.

Source: The dataset was obtained from here

Graph and download economic data for Internet users for India (ITNETUSERP2IND) from 1990 to 2022 about internet, India, and persons.

High Frequency Indicator: The dataset contains year-, month- and service-provider-wise total internet, both broadband and narrowband, subscribers in India. The list of internet service providers covered in the dataset include Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea, BSNL, Reliance, Tata, Hathway, etc.

In 2023, India had over 1.2 billion internet users across the country. This figure was projected to grow to over 1.6 billion users by 2050, indicating a big market potential in internet services for the South Asian country. In fact, India was ranked as the second largest online market worldwide in 2022, second only to China. The number of internet users was estimated to increase in both urban as well as rural regions, indicating a dynamic growth in access to internet. Mobile connectivity Of the total internet users in the country, a majority of the people access the internet via their mobile phones. There were nearly the same amount of smartphone users as internet users across the country. Cheap availability of mobile data, a growing smartphone user base in the country along with the utility value of smartphones compared to desktops and tablets are some of the factors contributing to the mobile heavy internet access in India. Growth is on the cards Despite the large number of internet users in the country, the internet penetration levels took longer to catch up equally. At the same time, the number of women who have access to internet is much lower than men in the country, and the bias is even more evident in rural India. Similarly, internet usage is lower among older adults in the country due to internet literacy and technological know-how. By encouraging internet accessibility among marginalized groups including women, older people and rural inhabitants in the country, India’s digital footprint has significant headroom to grow.

Individuals using the Internet (% of population) in India was reported at 55.9 % in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. India - Individuals using the Internet (% of population) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on November of 2025.

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.

High Frequency Indicator: The dataset contains year-, quarter- and service-area-wise from the year 2013 to till date on the per hundred and total number of internet subscribers in rural and urban areas of India

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.

The India Optical Transport Network (OTN) market is booming, projected to reach $1.64 billion by 2025 with an 8.25% CAGR. Driven by 5G, cloud computing, and government initiatives, this report analyzes market trends, key players (Nokia, Ciena, Cisco), and future growth opportunities in India's expanding digital landscape. Recent developments include: In June 2024, TDC NET, a digital infrastructure provider, announced its decision to use Ciena's converged packet optical solutions to enhance its metro and long-haul networks with 800G technology. These network enhancements will empower TDC NET to introduce advanced services sustainably, aligning with its net-zero emissions objective by curtailing power consumption relative to its current DWDM platform., In January 2024, HFCL Ltd secured an order worth INR 1,127 Crore from Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) to revamp the Optical Transport Network (OTN) infrastructure throughout BSNL's nationwide network. This extensive upgrade by HFCL will meet the current demands of enterprise and FTTH/broadband services while also strategically positioning BSNL for the future, facilitating a smooth rollout of 4G services and paving the way for anticipated 5G services in the years ahead.. Key drivers for this market are: Increasing internet penetration with demand for high-speed internet, Technological innovations by OTN solution providers; Ongoing digital transformation in various industries in the country. Potential restraints include: Increasing internet penetration with demand for high-speed internet, Technological innovations by OTN solution providers; Ongoing digital transformation in various industries in the country. Notable trends are: Increasing Internet Penetration with Demand for High-Speed Internet.

As of December 2023, the leading service area with the largest number internet subscribers in urban India was the nation's capital city, Delhi, with over ** million users. The total number of internet subscribers in urban 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.

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: Geocity Network Solutions Private Limited data was reported at 15,466.000 Unit in Dec 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 14,827.000 Unit for Sep 2018. India Internet Statistics: Number of Subscribers: Geocity Network Solutions Private Limited data is updated quarterly, averaging 2,729.000 Unit from Sep 2005 (Median) to Dec 2018, with 54 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 17,710.000 Unit in Jun 2018 and a record low of 1,957.000 Unit in Sep 2008. India Internet Statistics: Number of Subscribers: Geocity Network Solutions Private Limited data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Transportation, Post and Telecom Sector – Table IN.TE041: Internet Statistics: Number of Subscribers: by Company.

The “kind of service restricted” during internet shutdowns refers to the specific internet provider technologies that are disabled or blocked during a government-ordered interruption. These typically fall into three main categories: mobile internet (data services on cellular networks), broadband (fixed-line internet connections to homes and businesses), or both simultaneously.

The total number of fixed broadband subscriptions and the same 100 inhabitants in India as well as global regions has been compiled in the dataset. Fixed broadband subscriptions refers to fixed subscriptions to high-speed access to the public Internet (a TCP/IP connection), at downstream speeds equal to, or greater than, 256 kbit/s. This includes cable modem, DSL, fiber-to-the-home/building, other fixed (wired)-broadband subscriptions, satellite broadband, fixed WiMAX and any other fixed wireless technologies and terrestrial fixed wireless broadband. It excludes subscriptions that have access to data communications (including the Internet) via mobile-cellular networks. 2020 value is June-2020 estimate.