New Delhi, February 9: The Indian government announced on Monday that the country has improved its position in the global ‘Network Readiness Index 2025’. India has moved up four places and now ranks 45th. Notably, India has also outperformed many other countries in several key indicators.
This report was released by the Portulans Institute, an independent, non-profit research and educational organization based in Washington, D.C. It assesses the digital and network readiness of 127 countries worldwide.
The Ministry of Communications stated that not only has India improved its ranking, but its overall score has also increased. In 2024, India’s score was 53.63 out of 100, which has risen to 54.43 in 2025. The ministry highlighted that India has ranked first in several parameters.
The report ranks countries based on four main criteria: TECHNOLOGY, people, governance, and impact. A total of 53 different indicators were studied under these four categories.
According to the report, India ranked first in areas such as annual investment in telecom services, scientific research papers related to artificial intelligence (AI), exports of IT and communication services, and e-commerce laws. Additionally, India secured the second position in fiber internet connections, mobile internet usage within the country, and international internet capacity. In terms of domestic market size and income inequality, India ranked third.
The Ministry of Communications noted that India’s network readiness is better than its income level. Among low-income middle-class countries, India ranks second, reflecting its digital progress.
Union Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia recently stated that India offers the cheapest data in the world, with the highest usage rates. He mentioned that due to a robust digital infrastructure, the country has over 1.2 billion mobile users, and by June, the 4G network is expected to reach every village.
The government telecom company BSNL has established 97,068 4G sites so far, with 93,511 of these sites operational. BSNL is working on plans to upgrade all its 4G towers to 5G in the coming months.
Moreover, 5G services have been launched across all states and union territories, currently available in 99.9 percent of the districts in the country. Telecom companies have set up a total of 508,000 5G base transceiver stations (BTS) in both rural and urban areas, further strengthening India’s digital capabilities.