In response to a survey on AI usage among internet users in India conducted between August 2024 and February 2025, nearly half of all respondents considered AI-generated information somewhat accurate. Contrariwise, about 18 percent found AI responses to their queries to be inaccurate. Fact-checking and identifying misinformation have grown increasingly necessary with the growing popularity of AI-assisted online searches.

The internet penetration rate in India rose over 55 percent in 2025, from about 14 percent in 2014. Although these figures seem relatively low, it meant that more than half of the population of 1.4 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.

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

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.

The number of internet users in India was forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2029 by in total ***** million users (+***** percent). After the fifteenth consecutive increasing year, the number of users is estimated to reach *** billion users and therefore a new peak in 2029. Notably, the number of internet users of was continuously increasing over the past years.Depicted is the estimated number of individuals in the country or region at hand, that use the internet. As the datasource clarifies, connection quality and usage frequency are distinct aspects, not taken into account here.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 internet users in countries like Nepal and Pakistan.

India: Internet users, percent of population: The latest value from 2022 is 55.9 percent, an increase from 43.4 percent in 2020. In comparison, the world average is 70.88 percent, based on data from 178 countries. Historically, the average for India from 1990 to 2022 is 8.99 percent. The minimum value, 0 percent, was reached in 1990 while the maximum of 55.9 percent was recorded in 2022.

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 July of 2025.

Over 34 percent of the Indian population accessed the internet in 2017. This was a drastic increase from 7.5 percent in 2010. Despite the huge, yet-to-be utilized potential, India is already the second-largest online market worldwide.

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.

Forecast: Total Internet Users in India 2023 - 2027 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

Forecast: Total Internet Users in India 2024 - 2028 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

Internet Usage: Social Media Market Share: All Platforms: Youku data was reported at 0.040 % in 02 May 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 0.010 % for 01 May 2024. Internet Usage: Social Media Market Share: All Platforms: Youku data is updated daily, averaging 0.000 % from Jan 2024 (Median) to 02 May 2024, with 111 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 0.200 % in 26 Mar 2024 and a record low of 0.000 % in 30 Apr 2024. Internet Usage: Social Media Market Share: All Platforms: Youku data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statcounter Global Stats. The data is categorized under Global Database’s India – Table IN.SC.IU: Internet Usage: Social Media Market Share.

While Indians between 12 and 34 years dominated internet use from 2013 to 2019 with about 65 percent of the total market, this was projected to change by 2025. Between 2019 and 2025, it was estimated that age group 35 years and older would make up ** percent of internet usage in India. Gender and internet Among the total internet users in the country, it was found that only about ** percent were female users. While this was expected to change to ** percent male users and ** percent female users by 2020, it still showed a gender gap in internet accessibility in the south-Asian country. While several factors lead to this digital gender gap, economic and socio-cultural barriers stand out as the most compelling reasons. Older Indians part of digitalization The median age of India’s population was around 27 years in 2015, echoing the range of the country’s majority internet user base. The estimated shift, however, in the years to come would be the successful efforts towards digitalizing India. If done right, this would propel older adults to adopt and master new media technologies in their daily activities beyond social media and communication, including the use of financial services.

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

India Internet Usage: Search Engine Market Share: Desktop: PrivacyWall data was reported at 0.030 % in 16 May 2025. This stayed constant from the previous number of 0.030 % for 15 May 2025. India Internet Usage: Search Engine Market Share: Desktop: PrivacyWall data is updated daily, averaging 0.010 % from Jul 2024 (Median) to 16 May 2025, with 307 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 0.050 % in 04 May 2025 and a record low of 0.000 % in 12 Mar 2025. India Internet Usage: Search Engine Market Share: Desktop: PrivacyWall data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statcounter Global Stats. The data is categorized under Global Database’s India – Table IN.SC.IU: Internet Usage: Search Engine Market Share.

As a country with a population of over *** billion, India had around *** million active internet users in 2022. It was estimated that in 2025, the number of active internet users would surpass *** million. Although there was a gap between the percentage of urban and rural active internet users, it has been narrowing with development.

As per the results of a survey across India in 2019, India's internet penetration stood at around ** percent. The national capital territory of Delhi had the highest internet penetration levels that year at ** percent, followed by Kerala at ** percent. Odisha had the lowest penetration level during the same period.

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 Indian internet backbone market is poised for significant growth through 2029, driven by increasing internet penetration, rising smartphone adoption, and the expanding digital economy. The market's Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) from 2025-2033, while not explicitly stated, is likely to be robust, mirroring global trends and India's unique digital landscape. Factors such as government initiatives promoting digital infrastructure, increasing investments in 5G technology, and the surge in data consumption across both urban and rural areas will fuel this expansion. While challenges remain, such as infrastructure gaps in remote areas and cybersecurity concerns, the overall trajectory points to substantial market expansion. Competition among infrastructure providers, including both domestic and international players, is expected to intensify, leading to increased efficiency and affordability for consumers. The segment breakdown will likely show strong growth in applications related to streaming services, e-commerce, and online education, while the types of infrastructure will see a continued shift towards higher-capacity fiber optic networks and cloud-based solutions. By 2029, the market is projected to reach a considerable size, reflecting India's position as a rapidly developing digital market. The growth will be regionally diverse, with major metropolitan areas witnessing faster adoption and consequently higher market penetration than rural areas. However, government initiatives focusing on bridging the digital divide will significantly impact the growth trajectory in less developed regions. Specific segments within the market, such as data center infrastructure and network security solutions, will experience above-average growth, fueled by the increasing demand for secure and reliable internet connectivity. Understanding these market dynamics is crucial for businesses and investors looking to capitalize on the immense potential of the Indian internet backbone market. Successful strategies will require agility, adaptation to changing technologies, and a focus on meeting the unique needs of the Indian market.

In 2022, India had a rank of 87 out of 120 countries for internet usage. Internet usage, according to research, involved measuring the size of the connected population, in terms of Internet and mobile connectivity. In terms of sub-indices, gender gap, both for internet and mobile access ranked lowest that year.