India is set to witness unprecedented growth in its digital landscape, with 1.2 billion smartphone connections projected by 2030, half of which will be 5G-enabled, according to a new report by the GSMA, a global mobile network body.
The country is expected to have over 641 million 5G subscribers by that year, growing at an impressive rate of 49 percent.
The GSMA Intelligence projections highlight that India will experience a surge in both 5G subscribers and data usage over the next six years.
This rapid growth will push Indian telecommunications companies to invest heavily in infrastructure to meet the soaring demand.
“India will see an explosion of data usage in the next six years, driven by the unprecedented growth in 5G mobile subscribers,” stated the report.
Data consumption per subscriber is expected to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15 percent between 2023 and 2029, reaching 68 GB per month per subscriber.
India, alongside Indonesia, is positioned to leverage digitalisation for economic growth, job creation, and innovation in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region.
According to the “GSMA Mobile Economy Asia Pacific 2024 Report,” Indonesia is projected to have 387 million smartphone connections by 2030.
The report also revealed that mobile technologies and services generated 5.3 percent of the APAC region’s GDP in 2023, contributing $880 billion to the economy and supporting around 13 million jobs.
GSMA Director General Mats Granryd emphasized the pivotal role of India and Indonesia in driving future digital and economic growth in the region.
“By fostering partnerships and collaboration, we are laying the foundation for a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable digital future for both nations,” Granryd said.
The widespread rollout of 5G is also expected to add approximately $27 billion to India’s gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030, according to the GSMA report.
The organization stressed the importance of including the upper 6 GHz band in India’s spectrum roadmap to ensure the success of 5G expansion.
With the launch of 5G acting as a major catalyst for increased data consumption, India’s digital future looks promising as the country gears up to become a global leader in mobile technology and economic resilience.
