As part of the Digital India Initiative, the central government has implemented a series of measures to enhance internet connectivity across metropolitan areas, tier-2 and tier-3 cities, as well as rural and remote regions. According to the Ministry of Communications, India now boasts 954.40 million internet subscribers as of March 2024, with 398.35 million of these in rural areas.
Recent data from the Registrar General of India reveals that 95.15% of the country’s 644,131 villages achieved 3G/4G mobile connectivity as of April 2024. This expansion is a significant leap from March 2014, when India had only 251.59 million internet subscribers. Over the past decade, the number of internet subscribers has surged, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.26%.
The telecom network has expanded significantly, now covering even the most remote areas of the country. In March 2014, broadband was defined as a minimum speed of 512 Kbps. By March 2024, this definition had evolved to 2 Mbps, marking a 300% increase. India’s ranking in average internet download speed has dramatically improved, jumping from 130th in 2014 to 16th in 2024, with average download speeds increasing from 4.18 Mbps to 105.85 Mbps, an astounding 2,432.29% rise.
The period also saw internet subscribers grow by 279.34%, from 251.59 million to 954.40 million. Total telecom subscribers rose from 933 million to 1,199.28 million, a 28.54% increase. While urban tele-density decreased from 145.78% to 133.72%, rural tele-density increased from 43.96% to 59.19%, resulting in an overall tele-density increase from 75.23% to 85.69%.
The cost of data per GB has dropped dramatically from Rs 268.97 to Rs 9.18, a decrease of 96.58%. Concurrently, average data consumption per user surged from 0.26 GB to 20.27 GB, a staggering increase of 7,696%.
A key component of the Digital India Initiative is the BharatNet project, which aims to connect all Gram Panchayats (GPs) with optical fiber cable (OFC) connectivity. Out of the 222,000 Gram Panchayats planned under the two phases of BharatNet, 213,000 are now service-ready. The amended BharatNet Program aims to provide optical fiber connectivity to 42,000 uncovered GPs and the remaining 384,000 villages on a demand basis, along with 1.5 crore rural home fiber connections.
Efforts are also underway to connect 35,680 uncovered villages and habitations under ongoing Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) schemes. These villages, often in remote and difficult terrains such as hilly regions and dense forests, are now receiving 4G connectivity through an expenditure of around Rs 11,000 crore under various USOF-funded schemes.
Further initiatives to enhance internet connectivity nationwide include amended licensing conditions in August 2022 to facilitate the installation of mobile towers in border areas, the issuance of Indian Telegraph Right of Way Rules 2016 and subsequent amendments for faster telecom infrastructure rollout, and the launch of the Gati Shakti Sanchar Portal for quicker Right of Way approvals.
Under the Digital India initiative, the government has also promoted various technology-led startups and innovation schemes. These include Technology Incubation and Development of Entrepreneurs (TIDE 2.0), Gen-Next Support for Innovative Startups (GENESIS), domain-specific Centres of Excellence (CoEs), and the Next Generation Incubation Scheme (NGIS). With a total funding outlay of around Rs 800 crore, these schemes are designed to foster innovation and entrepreneurship, particularly in tier-2 and tier-3 cities.