India targets 1 bn 5G users by 2030, up from 550 mn now: Scindia

India is targeting one billion 5G users by 2030, nearly doubling the current user base of 550 million, Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Thursday.Speaking at the inauguration of the 10th edition of the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026 in New Delhi, Scindia said India has emerged as the world's fastest adopter of 5G technology.“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.
Scindia said India aims to move from being a technology adopter to becoming a global technology standards setter. He noted that while India was behind the world in 4G, the country now aims to lead in 6G.“We were behind in 4G, with the world in 5G, and we will lead in 6G,” Scindia said.

#WATCH | At 10th edition of the India Mobile Congress, Union Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya M. Scindia says, "This year's theme reflects on how far we have travelled. Starting from connecting the next billion to enabling the next billion possibilities. IMC 2026 will witness the digital capabilities of our nation...I am proud to state that the Bharat 6G alliance from India has established 7,700 patents and 4,400 patents internationally. It is our goal to be seated at the standard setting table. We were behind the world in 4G. We marched with the world on 5G. But it is our resolve that we will lead the world on 6G."

— ANI (@ANI) October 8, 2026

India steps up 6G ambitions
The minister said India has secured 7,700 patents and 4,400 international patents linked to 6G technology, reflecting its growing focus on next-generation telecommunications and global standards.“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,” he said. Scindia said India's focus is shifting from merely expanding connectivity to creating new technology and innovation opportunities.“We are starting from connecting the next billion to enabling the next billion possibilities,” he said.He also highlighted the expansion of broadband connections, which have risen from around 60 million in 2014 to nearly one billion currently. Mobile data in India costs around Rs 8 per GB, making it one of the cheapest globally, he added.
Scindia highlighted the growth of India's domestic electronics and mobile phone manufacturing sector, saying the industry has expanded from $2 billion in 2014 to $63 billion currently.He credited the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme with strengthening mobile phone manufacturing and building a wider domestic production ecosystem.The minister also called for India's technological capabilities to reach international markets through supportive policies, regulations and partnerships.
IMC must take India to the world
Scindia said the India Mobile Congress must evolve with India's growing technological ambitions and become a platform to showcase Indian capabilities globally.“The first decade brought the world to India. The next decade must take India to the world,” he said.He added that India has the “manpower, mobility and mindset” to take its technological progress beyond its borders.On digital public infrastructure, Scindia said UPI accounts for 84 per cent of domestic digital transactions, while India contributes around 49 per cent of global real-time digital payment transactions.On digital security, he said the government has disconnected seven crore mobile connections associated with fraudulent activities.

(Assistant Editor)