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India Mobile Cellular Subscriptions

– Mobile cellular subscriptions refer to subscriptions to a public mobile telephone service that provide access to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) using cellular technology.

India Mobile Cellular SubscriptionsMillion · 2015–2024

1,2001,1001,0009002015: 1,000Trough2016: 1,1302017: 1,1702018: 1,180Peak2019: 1,1502020: 1,1502021: 1,1502022: 1,1402023: 1,1602024: 1,15020152017201920212024
Source: data.worldbank.orgLast updated: April 2026

What India Mobile Cellular Subscriptions shows

India Mobile Cellular Subscriptions was 1,150 Million in 2024, down 0.9% on 2023. India’s mobile cellular subscriptions from 2015 to 2024 is an absolutely colossal saga of explosive growth and a radical digital revolution that has no equal in human history. Subscription volumes underwent a breathtaking, earth-shattering transformation, leaping from an already massive 1.00 billion in 2015 to a phenomenal, mind-boggling 1.15 billion by 2024.

Trend

Higher over the period

India Mobile Cellular Subscriptions moved from 1,000 Million in 2015 to 1,150 Million in 2024 (+15%), an average of +1.6% a year. The series high was 1,180 Million in 2018 and the low 1,000 Million in 2015.

Volatility

A 15.3% peak-to-trough swing

The gap between the series high (2018) and low (2015) is 180 Million. The sharpest single-year move was +13% in 2016.

Structure

Ranks 2 of 33 countries covered

Among the 33 countries in this dataset, India ranks 2 for 2024, behind China (1,870 Million) and U.S. (391 Million). It accounts for 12.8% of the global total in 2024.

Full series

India Mobile Cellular Subscriptions by year

Complete annual series with year-on-year change. Values are reported in Million.

Scroll the table sideways to see all columns.

India Mobile Cellular Subscriptions, 2015–2024, Million.
YearMillionChange vs prior year
2024 1,150 −0.9%
2023 1,160 +1.8%
2022 1,140 −0.9%
2021 1,150 0%
2020 1,150 0%
2019 1,150 −2.5%
2018Peak 1,180 +0.9%
2017 1,170 +3.5%
2016 1,130 +13%
2015 Trough1,000 —

Regional context

How India compares across countries

Mobile Cellular Subscriptions by country, 2024, Million. India is highlighted.

1China
1,870
2India
1,150
3U.S.
391
4Indonesia
347.3
5Russia
269.5
6Brazil
216.1
7Nigeria
164.7
8Mexico
152.4

About this indicator

Mobile Cellular Subscriptions — – Mobile cellular subscriptions refer to subscriptions to a public mobile telephone service that provide access to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) using cellular technology. It includes both postpaid subscriptions and active prepaid SIM cards that have been used within a specified period (typically the last three months).

This meteoric rise represents a monumental triumph of engineering and a visionary shift toward total digital dominance on a continental scale. India has become the world’s ultimate, peerless laboratory for telecom innovation, where the aggressive rollout of one of the world's largest 5G networks has created a high-speed digital backbone that defies comprehension. The surge is driven by a dynamic, tech-savvy population of over a billion who have embraced a mobile-first lifestyle as their absolute reality, fueling an insatiable, voracious demand for high-octane data, mobile payments, and immersive digital services. From the hyper-modern megacities to the most remote rural heartlands, this connectivity has ignited a wildfire of economic growth in e-commerce, fintech, and digital education. India’s telecom titans have engaged in a heroic, unprecedented effort to build the most resilient and high-capacity infrastructure on Earth, ensuring the nation remains the undisputed vanguard of the global digital age. This dataset captures a nation in the midst of a historic awakening, proving that through unfathomable investment and bold technological adoption, a market can achieve legendary, world-leading status in record time. India is not just driving the digital future—it is the digital future, establishing a high-velocity telecom landscape that serves as the definitive blueprint for the entire planet. This is a portrait of a digital superpower maintaining a relentless, ironclad grip on the future of global communications, transforming lives at an unimaginable scale.

Indicator
Mobile Cellular Subscriptions
Country
India
Region
South Asia
Unit
Million
Coverage
2015–2024, annual
Category
ICT & Media
Last updated
April 2026
Source
data.worldbank.org

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Frequently asked questions

What is India Mobile Cellular Subscriptions?

Definition – Mobile cellular subscriptions refer to subscriptions to a public mobile telephone service that provide access to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) using cellular technology. It includes both postpaid subscriptions and active prepaid SIM cards that have been used within a specified period (typically the last three months). Inclusions – The data includes all active mobile cellular subscriptions offering voice communication services, covering both prepaid and postpaid accounts. It encompasses subscriptions across analogue and digital cellular technologies (including 2G, 3G, and 4G systems) and is compiled from telecom operators and regulatory authorities, typically aggregated at the national level. Exclusions – The data excludes subscriptions used solely for mobile data services such as USB modems or data cards, as well as private trunked mobile radio, radio paging, telepoint systems, and telemetry services. It also does not capture inactive SIM cards or non-voice-based mobile connectivity services.

What was India Mobile Cellular Subscriptions in 2024?

India Mobile Cellular Subscriptions was 1,150 Million in 2024, down 0.9% on 2023.

How has India Mobile Cellular Subscriptions changed between 2015 and 2024?

India Mobile Cellular Subscriptions moved from 1,000 Million in 2015 to 1,150 Million in 2024 (+15%), an average of +1.6% a year. The series high was 1,180 Million in 2018 and the low 1,000 Million in 2015.

Which year had the highest and lowest India Mobile Cellular Subscriptions?

The highest value was 1,180 Million in 2018 and the lowest was 1,000 Million in 2015.

Where does the India Mobile Cellular Subscriptions data come from?

The series is sourced from data.worldbank.org (https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/IT.CEL.SETS). It covers 2015–2024 and is reported in Million.

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