India Telephone Subscribers Reach 1.368 Billion in September

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India reported that the national telephone subscriber base grew by 7.23 million in September 2026, reaching a total of 1.368 billion. This expansion was primarily driven by the wireless segment, which increased by 6.94 million to reach 1.319 billion subscribers.

Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel led the growth, adding approximately 2.71 million and 2.69 million wireless mobile subscribers, respectively. State-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd added 626,000 subscribers, and Vodafone Idea gained around 550,000. In contrast, Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited experienced a decline of 6,500 subscribers.

Urban areas saw faster growth than rural regions, adding 5.5 million subscribers compared to 1.73 million. The overall tele-density in India rose to 95.52%. Additionally, the broadband subscriber base increased to 1.108 billion, with Reliance Jio maintaining its position as the market leader.