Mobile cellular subscriptions in India
India: Mobile cellular subscriptions was 79.35 per 100 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Mobile cellular subscriptions in India, 1960–2024
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Measured in per 100 people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for mobile cellular subscriptions in India is 79.35 per 100 people, measured in 2024.
The figure is down 1.5% on the previous year and up 10.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile cellular subscriptions in India peaked at 85.97 per 100 people in 2017 and was at its lowest, 0 per 100 people, in 1960.
That places India 167th out of 214 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Mobile cellular subscriptions in India, year by year
| Year | per 100 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1965 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1970 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1975 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1976 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1977 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1978 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1979 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1980 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1981 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1982 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1983 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1984 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1985 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1986 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1987 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1988 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1989 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1990 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1991 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1992 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1993 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1994 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1995 | 0.008 per 100 people | — |
| 1996 | 0.0334 per 100 people | +319.4% |
| 1997 | 0.088 per 100 people | +163.8% |
| 1998 | 0.117 per 100 people | +33.0% |
| 1999 | 0.1811 per 100 people | +54.7% |
| 2000 | 0.3381 per 100 people | +86.7% |
| 2001 | 0.6067 per 100 people | +79.4% |
| 2002 | 1.18 per 100 people | +95.2% |
| 2003 | 3.02 per 100 people | +154.7% |
| 2004 | 4.6 per 100 people | +52.4% |
| 2005 | 7.81 per 100 people | +69.8% |
| 2006 | 14.16 per 100 people | +81.4% |
| 2007 | 19.62 per 100 people | +38.6% |
| 2008 | 28.72 per 100 people | +46.4% |
| 2009 | 42.85 per 100 people | +49.2% |
| 2010 | 60.49 per 100 people | +41.2% |
| 2011 | 70.87 per 100 people | +17.2% |
| 2012 | 67.63 per 100 people | -4.6% |
| 2013 | 68.4 per 100 people | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 71.94 per 100 people | +5.2% |
| 2015 | 75.38 per 100 people | +4.8% |
| 2016 | 83.92 per 100 people | +11.3% |
| 2017 | 85.97 per 100 people | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 85.55 per 100 people | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 82.9 per 100 people | -3.1% |
| 2020 | 82.25 per 100 people | -0.8% |
| 2021 | 81.6 per 100 people | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 80.18 per 100 people | -1.7% |
| 2023 | 80.56 per 100 people | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 79.35 per 100 people | -1.5% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 79.35 per 100 people is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 97.13 per 100 people, 82% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- India's 79.35 per 100 people is below the median for South Asia, which is 103.96 per 100 people, 76% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 2 |
| 1970s | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 6 |
| 1980s | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.0427 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 0.1811 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.29 per 100 people | 0.3381 per 100 people | 42.85 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 75.3 per 100 people | 60.49 per 100 people | 85.97 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 80.79 per 100 people | 79.35 per 100 people | 82.25 per 100 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near India
More infrastructure data for India
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 1.15 billion (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 39.24 million (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 2.7 per 100 people (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per capita 0.027 units per person (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, annual growth rate 26.84 % change on previous year (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, gaps filled 39.24 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita 0.7935 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled 1.15 billion (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mobile cellular subscriptions in India?
- Mobile cellular subscriptions in India was 79.35 per 100 people in 2024, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
- What is the highest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 85.97 per 100 people in 2017.
- What is the lowest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 per 100 people in 1960.
- How does India rank for mobile cellular subscriptions?
- India ranks 167th out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is mobile cellular subscriptions rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU), published as part of Mobile cellular subscriptions (per 100 people). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Mobile cellular telephone subscriptions are subscriptions to a public mobile telephone service that provide access to the PSTN using cellular technology. The indicator includes (and is split into) the number of postpaid subscriptions, and the number of active prepaid accounts (i.e. that have been used during the last three months). The indicator applies to all mobile cellular subscriptions that offer voice communications. It excludes subscriptions via data cards or USB modems, subscriptions to public mobile data services, private trunked mobile radio, telepoint, radio paging and telemetry services.