The government announced that India has advanced four spots in the global ‘Network Readiness Index 2025’ (NRI 2025) rankings, now standing at 45th place. This improvement is accompanied by an increase in the country’s score from 53.63 out of 100 in 2024 to 54.43 out of 100 in 2025. India is excelling in various indicators, as highlighted by the Ministry of Communications.
The Portulans Institute, an independent research and educational institute in Washington, DC, published the report. It evaluates 127 economies based on their performance across four pillars: Technology, People, Governance, and Impact, encompassing 53 indicators.
India has achieved top positions in key areas such as “Annual investment in telecommunication services”, “AI scientific publications”, “ICT services exports”, and “E-commerce legislation”. Additionally, the country secured 2nd and 3rd ranks in various other indicators, showcasing its strong network readiness.
The Ministry of Communications emphasized that India’s network readiness surpasses expectations relative to its income level. Notably, India is ranked second among lower-middle-income countries. Minister of Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia highlighted India’s achievement of having the world’s lowest data costs and highest data usage, driven by robust digital infrastructure. The country boasts over 1.2 billion mobile users, with plans to extend 4G network coverage to all villages by June this year.
BSNL has already set up 97,068 4G sites, with 93,511 sites operational as of October 31, 2025. The state-owned telecom company aims to transition all 4G towers to 5G in the coming months.
Furthermore, 5G services have been introduced in all states and union territories of India, covering 99.9% of districts. Telecom service providers have deployed 5.08 lakh 5G Base Transceiver Stations (BTSs) across rural and urban areas, enhancing connectivity nationwide.
