Is India Set to Dominate the World in 6G Technology?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
New Delhi, Feb 11 (NationPress) - Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia declared on Wednesday that India trailed the global scene in 4G, kept pace with the world in 5G, and is poised to take the lead in 6G technology. In response to queries in the Lok Sabha, the minister emphasized India’s swiftly evolving digital landscape and the roadmap ahead.
India has achieved the fastest rollout of 5G services globally, launching them in 99.9% of the country's districts within a mere 22 months, establishing a new global standard.
“Telecom operators have invested around Rs 4 lakh crore towards this expansion, with the installation of over 5 lakh Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) nationwide,” he stated.
Currently, 400 million people are enjoying the benefits of 5G services, with expectations to increase to 1 billion by 2030.
Scindia highlighted ongoing initiatives to enhance digital connectivity down to the last mile, noting that expanding Wi-Fi networks is sparking a new revolution in rural regions of India.
Maharashtra is among the leading states in terms of Wi-Fi hotspot installations. The minister also pointed out that broadband connectivity has skyrocketed from 60 million connections ten years ago to 1 billion today.
The government aims to further fortify this digital infrastructure by 2030.
“With the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has transformed from a technology follower to a global digital leader,” stated the Communications Minister, emphasizing that this transformation is not just limited to urban centers but is impacting villages nationwide, changing lives in areas like education, healthcare, and livelihoods.
Additionally, the government announced a significant improvement in India's global Network Readiness Index 2025 (NRI 2025) rank, moving up four positions to 45th, excelling in various metrics. This report was published by the Portulans Institute, an independent research organization based in Washington, DC.
“India has not only enhanced its ranking but also improved its score from 53.63 in 2024 to 54.43 in 2025. It’s noteworthy that India leads in numerous indicators,” the Ministry of Communications remarked.