India Aims to Connect 1 Billion 5G Users by 2030

Union Minister of Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia announced at the India Mobile Congress 2026 that India intends to connect 1 billion people via 5G by 2030. Current network coverage reaches nearly 500 million people, supported by over 500,000 towers and 450,000 crores in capital expenditure.

Scindia detailed a strategic shift for India to transition from a service nation to a product nation. He noted that the Production Linked Incentive scheme has already facilitated 120,000 crores in sales, 6,000 crores in investments, and the creation of 36,000 jobs.

To support this industrial growth, the government will establish India's first Telecom Manufacturing Zone in Gwalior on July 30. This project, a collaboration between the Department of Telecommunications and the government of Madhya Pradesh, is designed as a plug-and-play ecosystem for chip manufacturers, data centers, and the telecom sector. While private companies like Jio and Bharti Airtel have led the nationwide 5G rollout, the state-run BSNL is expected to begin commercial 5G services soon.