New Delhi: India aims to double its 5G user base from 550 million to one billion by 2030, Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Thursday, adding that the country, which was behind the world in 4G, has resolved to lead the world in 6G.
Speaking at the inauguration of the 10th edition of the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026, Scindia said 5G in India has become the fastest-adopted 5G technology in the world.
“Today we have 550 million users on 5G…But we will not rest here. By 2030 our target is to take that number from 550 million to a billion customers on 5G,” he said.
“As a country, we have only been standard takers, but under the Prime Minister’s leadership, it is our goal to be at the table of standard setting,” Scindia said.
“We were behind in 4G, with the world in 5G, and we will lead in 6G,” he added.
5G users to touch one billion by 2030
Scindia said India has emerged as one of the fastest adopters of 5G technology, with the number of users reaching 550 million.
The government aims to nearly double this figure to one billion by 2030, marking the next phase of the country’s telecommunications expansion.
“Our target is to take it from 550 million to a billion by 2030,” he said.
The minister noted that broadband connections have also expanded significantly over the past decade, rising from around 60 million in 2014 to approximately one billion currently.
Highlighting the affordability of internet services, Scindia said mobile data in India costs around Rs 8 per GB, making it among the cheapest globally.
India seeks greater role in 6G development
Scindia said India has established 7,700 patents and 4,400 patents internationally in connection with 6G technology, reflecting its ambitions to participate more actively in next-generation telecommunications research and standard setting.
The focus, he said, is shifting beyond providing connectivity to creating new opportunities through technological innovation.
“We are starting from connecting the next billion to enabling the next billion possibilities,” he said.
The minister also called for India’s technological capabilities to reach international markets through supportive regulations, policies and partnerships.
Highlighting the expansion of domestic electronics manufacturing, Scindia said India’s mobile phone industry has grown from $2 billion in 2014 to $63 billion currently.
He credited the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme with strengthening mobile phone manufacturing and creating a larger domestic production ecosystem.
India Mobile Congress must go global
Scindia said the India Mobile Congress must evolve alongside India’s expanding technological ambitions and become a platform for showcasing Indian capabilities internationally.
“The first decade brought the world to India. The next decade must take India to the world,” he said.
India has the “manpower, mobility and mindset” to extend its technological progress beyond its borders, the minister added.
He also pointed to the growing role of digital public infrastructure, saying UPI accounts for 84 percent of domestic digital transactions and India contributes around 49 percent of global real-time digital payment transactions.
On digital security, Scindia said the government has disconnected seven crore mobile connections associated with fraudulent activities.
